Event date: 13/05/2023

The Hong Kong Society of Gut Microbiome (HKSGM) gave a gut health talk to the public  at Healthy Square in Tsim Sha Tsui. Speaking on eczema, Dr. Steven Loo, President  of HKSGM said apart from medication, maintaining  a healthy lifestyle and avoiding foods that are disrupting the balance of gut bacteria is fundamental.  Clinical studies indicate that persons affected by eczema are lacking specific types of gut bacteria. Supplementation of the corresponding probiotics can help reduce eczema symptoms and maintain the conditions.

Professor Stephen Tsui, Vice-president of HKSGM and professor from the School of Biomedical Sciences, CUHK explained gut-brain axis and the relationship between gut microbiome and metabolism, obesity, moods and brain health.  According to research reports, babies delivered by caesarean are found to have more pathogenic bacteria in their guts that cause brain inflammatory responses and thus are more likely to develop autism. 

Probiotic supplementation is one of the ways to improve gut health. How can we choose an effective probiotics product?  Professor Tsui pointed out that everyone’s gut microbiome is unique, like fingerprints. Hence different users of a specific probiotics supplement would find different responses. 

He said gut microbiome test is an integral  part of gut health management. We can gauge the composition of our gut microbiome  (“fingerprints”) through testing, and then get personalised supplements. The test can also tells  whether our microbiotic supplementation works to restore the bacteria imbalance.