The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis

The gut and brain are in constant communication with each other. It’s a bidirectional signalling highway composed of neurons, hormones, and immune cells, and is commonly known as the microbiome-gut-brain axis.

I think it’s astounding to think that the gut contains more neurons than the spinal cord! That’s because it has its own nervous system, called the ‘enteric nervous system’ which is often referred to as our ‘second brain’.

This second brain can act independently of the brain, but often works in collaboration with the brain; communicating through the VAGUS NERVE - the main communication pathway in the gut-brain axis. What is interesting to note is that 90% of this communication are signals travelling from the gut to the brain!

Through this axis, the microbiome has an influence on cognition, memory, learning, mood and even our behaviour.

So here is a common problem that often has to be solved to correct mood disorders and things like ADHD:

When the bacteria that live in our gut die, they shed their outer membranes – and these membrane fragments are called Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), but are also often referred to as endotoxin (toxins created from within the gut)

If the LPS are kept within the confines of the gut, they are mostly harmless, but in cases where there is damage to the gut barrier system (aka leaky gut), LPS causes big problems, triggering an immune response and contributing to inflammatory diseases, including inflammation in the brain, since LPS can travel through the blood and enter the brain through a leaky blood brain barrier, leading to depression and reduced activity of the vagus nerve - forming a vicious cycle - since poor vagal activity results in poor overall gut function.

There is a lot of recent research that mental disorders can be treated by regulating the microbiota – including anxiety, which is prevalent at the moment – with the use of probiotics.

Microbiota modulating probiotics can improve the signals being sent to the brain via the vagus nerve and positively impact the way we think and feel and behave. Probiotics (aka live bacteria) can also reduce intestinal inflammation.

Fish oils are also able to modulate the gut microbiome. Omega-3 supplementation increases microbial diversity and enhances the production of something called intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), which helps detoxify LPS.

If you have persisting gut symptoms (bloating, abdominal cramps, heartburn or reflux, diarrhoea, constipation), it could indicate a brain-gut axis problem.

Maybe you have also started recognising that your memory isn’t as good as it used to be, you’re more anxious, you have a short attention span, or even cold hands and feet. In fact, cold hands and feet is a very common sign of a dysregulated microbiota-gut-brain axis, since it is an indication of reduced blood flow in the periphery, and since your brain is essentially a peripheral organ, it indirectly shows a reduction of blood flow to the brain.

Ultimately the key intervention strategies for repairing or optimising the communication between the gut and the brain involve doing a complete gut restoration program. This might include introducing prebiotics, probiotics, glycine-rich bone broths - basically addressing anything that is either compromising the gut barrier system and causing leaky gut - which subsequently causes leaky brain.

Re-establishing good microbial balance through nutrition will positively influence the ‘gut ecosystem report’ that is being sent from the gut to the brain on a minute-by-minute basis.  

Another crucial point of intervention involves incorporating stress management techniques – this can be anything from mindfulness meditation, breathing techniques to soothe the soul, yoga, tai chi, acupuncture - whatever works for you.

So, if you have gut problems and mood issues – the two things may very well be connected via the gut-brain axis. If you are interested in addressing the root cause of both, I can offer a complete range of natural medicine therapeutics and solutions to get you back to your optimal self again.