It’s easy to separate your body and mind, forming them in your head as two different entities that are unaffected by each other. However, we know that this is not true. Rather the two are fully connected, the condition of our physical bodies affecting our mental health, and our mental health affecting our bodies. Though this connection might not be news to you, there is one specific connection between mind and body that may come as a surprise. What is it? The gut microbiome and mental health!
Mental health disorders have been on the rise throughout the last few years to the point where most people have experienced a mental health struggle at some point in their life. Specifically, depression and anxiety are through the roof making it necessary to continually search for treatment and prevention strategies. Oftentimes people fight mental health through medications, therapy/counseling, coping mechanisms, self-expression, and exercise. Though All of these have proven to help mental health, recent research is showing that balancing the gut microbiome may also significantly improve mental health, preventing or treating disorders such as depression and anxiety.
The Gut-Brain Axis
The gut-brain axis is used to describe a network of communication that happens between the gut microbiome and the brain. The human gut is full of trillions of beneficial bacteria who help the body in many of its functions. It is these bacteria that are responsible for communicating with the brain through the immune system, nervous system, and our hormones. When studying the gut-brain axis deeper, researchers found that in fact people who experienced imbalanced gut bacteria were more likely to experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. This could possibly mean that improving the condition of the gut microbiome may treat and prevent these mental health disorders. Let’s dive deeper into this relationship!
As mentioned before, the gut microbiome affects the brain through three different pathways: the immune system, the nervous system, and the endocrine system (hormones). Let’s take a closer look at each of these three:
Immune system: a balance gut microbiome is a key player in controlling inflammation in the body. High levels of inflammation directly affect the brain due to stress levels in the body. Therefore, a balanced gut leads to less inflammation and better brain health.
Nervous system: certain bacteria found in the gut are responsible for producing neurotransmitters including dopamine and serotonin both of which play massive roles in mood regulation.
Endocrine system: the microbiome plays a role in the production of cortisol, managing stress load. And imbalanced microbiome can mess with cortisol levels and therefore stress levels, negatively impacting mental health.
What’s the Takeaway?
So, what should you take away from all this? Well, there is still research to be done on this topic, but what we do know for sure is that a healthy gut microbiome may lead to much healthier mental wellbeing and a healthier you in general! Gut composition can be supported through probiotic supplementation, fermented foods, and a balanced fiber rich diet!
References:
- Butler, Mary I et al. “The Gut Microbiome and Mental Health: What Should We Tell Our Patients?: Le microbiote Intestinal et la Santé Mentale : que Devrions-Nous dire à nos Patients?.” Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie vol. 64,11 (2019): 747-760. doi:10.1177/0706743719874168
- Xiong, Ruo-Gu et al. “The Role of Gut Microbiota in Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Disorders as Well as the Protective Effects of Dietary Components.” Nutrients vol. 15,14 3258. 23 Jul. 2023, doi:10.3390/nu15143258
