The gut has a connection between mental health and has recently received increased attention. New research has shown how the gut, a community of bacteria in our digestive system, plays an important role in our physical and mental well being. The gut can communicate with our brain, which is commonly called the gut brain axis. It has a big impact on the mood and emotions on one’s mental health.
Due to the gut’s role in digestion, the types of food we eat can help bolster types of bacteria that can significantly influence our mental state. Thus, it is crucial to show the connection between our gut influencing our mental state and the possible impacts of our diet on the food choices that affect our gut.
The gut brain axis is a field of study that shows that gut microbes communicate with our brain through many neural pathways. According to past research, bacteria in the gut can signal using released particles from our gut or directly by nerve transmissions (Xiong et al., 2023). When we eat food, our gut bacteria break down the food and, depending on the bacteria, can produce many different types of neurotransmitters. One such example is serotonin, which is mostly produced and stored in the gut. In fact, 90% of serotonin in the body is stored in the gut.
Having gut control over the release of serotonin can heavily influence our mood. Serotonin is actually an indirect product made by bacteria during the digestion of food, such as short chain fatty acids, which the body uses to signal more production of serotonin. However, a balanced gut contributes to the overall health of the brain and can influence mental diseases like depression and degenerative disorders.
An example can be from the paper “The Role of Gut Microbiota in Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Disorders as Well as the Protective Effects of Dietary Components”, where 60 people with major depressive disorder had a higher rate of “phylum Firmicutes, genera Prevotella and Klebsiella” and a lower rate of “Bacteroidetes”, which correlates to this imbalance causing an adverse effect. This shows the importance of maintaining a healthy gut environment for optimal health.
Bacteria in the gut serve many functions. For example, they aid in digesting our food, while also producing vitamins that help them thrive in our gut. This allows them to protect the human body from viruses, as they are direct competitors. Some bacteria can be easily promoted based on what foods we eat, which can also reduce bacteria that do not eat those foods. Some bacteria can change inflammation and hormone levels, which can increase stress mentally.
Conversely, certain strains of probiotics can alleviate signs of anxiety and depression, which shows the power of our gut environment. Gut bacteria are involved in many functions in our body, but if there is an imbalance of microbes in our body, it can lead to the condition called dysbiosis, which is correlated with mental health issues.
The type of diet we eat influences our gut environment. Thus, some diets have been linked to different mental conditions. Excessive sugar and processed foods can generally lead to the growth of bad bacteria that can impact our mental state. However, some foods or diets have been linked to specific mental diseases. For example, the ketogenic diet can reduce the effects of degenerative disorders by promoting the production of ketones, which eating this diet can improve memory and cognition in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (Horn J. et al, 2022).
Ketones are molecules that can be used as an alternative energy source to glucose and offer general protection against cognitive decline, which directly helps the brain from falling into Alzheimer’s. Many diets can help people, but the most important way to eat is to prioritize having a balanced diet to enhance their mental health, as it can positively influence their gut, which can affect their brain’s attitude. Some other examples are that promoting too many bacteria that make short chain fatty acids can lead to serotonin overproduction in the body, causing an imbalance in the mood.
One example is that Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, a bacterium that produces SCFAs, is shown to have a higher expression of stress when the level of the bacteria ishigher. To enhance our mental health, we can start looking at our diet and what we eat. The Mediterranean diet, which eats a lot of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and good fat foods, is associated with lower levels of depression and cognitive decline. Or the mentioned ketogenic diet above, but many simple changes in our diet can have huge impacts on our mental health. Eating more fruits, vegetables, or probiotics, while limiting the intake of processed foods and sugars, can improve our mental health.
There is a lot of evidence showing that gut health is connected to our mental state. Being mindful of what we eat is important, as any changes in the gut can change our mind in the same proportion. Knowing what we eat can impact our gut. We can make good decisions about our eating, which will enhance our health. By understanding why the gut has a huge impact on our mind, we can make choices about our eating habits to promote a healthy gut. Nurturing our gut with good and healthy food choices is important not only for our physical health but also for our mental well being, which can lead to a happier and healthier life.
By: Joseph Xu
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