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When there's not enough oxygen, some bacteria have a clever way to keep producing energy. They use different molecules, called electron acceptors, to help them breathe without oxygen. These molecules often come from the food we eat.
Certain foods, like some plant-based compounds (e.g., plant-based polyphenols), have functional groups that bacteria can use directly to help them breathe. The transformation of dietary xenobiotics by microbes influences the composition of the gut microbiome. Gut bacteria utilize both dietary and host-derived metabolites for anaerobic respiration.
But other nutrients need to be changed by bacteria first. For instance, some bacteria in our gut break down complex carbohydrates from our diet into simpler substances.
These simpler substances can then be used by other bacteria to help them breathe and produce energy. The inflammation in the gut serves as a respiratory electron acceptor for Salmonella.
see also:
Diseases / Disorders & Dysbiosis
Diseases / Disorders & Gut microbiota
Food / Diets / Nutrients & Gut microbiota