What Is the Role of the Gut in the Immune System?

What Is the Role of the Gut in the Immune System? (0:32)

The gut plays an essential role in maintaining a healthy immune system - in fact, 80% of our immune system is located there. In this video, integrative gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan, MD, explains how "good" gut bacteria works to keep us healthy.

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80% of the immune system is actually located in the gut. So the gut plays a central role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Gut bacteria, good gut bacteria in the digestive tack has to crowd out virus and other not so desirable species, so they keep us healthy that way. And what we feed on got bacteria is a crucial part of maintaining good immune health because if you got bacteria of being said the right foods, they can thrive and flourish and protect us from invading germs.

Robynne Chutkan, MD

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About Robynne Chutkan, MD

Robynne Chutkan, MD, is a board certified gastroenterologist and the founder and medical director of the Digestive Center for Women, an integrative practice that includes nutritional optimization, exercise and stress reduction.

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What Is the Role of the Gut in the Immune System?