Gut Microbiota and How It Impacts Our Mood

Where Does Gut Bacteria Come From?

Did you know that there are trillions of bacteria that live inside of our gut? Yes, these bacteria enter our body through the foods that we ingest. An interesting fact is that some bacteria is good for our gut, whereas some bacteria can be harmful. Therefore, it is essential to monitor the foods that we eat and to make sure our diets consist of a healthy variety of foods. No one person has the same bacteria in their digestive system. Some studies show that we may be introduced to gut microbiota while we are in our mother's womb. It is obvious that bacteria in our gut impacts our physical health, but it also has impact on our brain, emotions and behavior. With that being said, let's dive deeper into the topic of microbiota and how it effects our moods.

Gut Microbiota and Our Brain

Research has shown that there is a link between mental disorders and gut bacteria. The link occurs because gut microbiota can send messages to the brain and vice versa. This link is referred to as the brain gut microbiome axis. In other words, the gut brain microbiome axis is how the GI (gastrointestinal) tract communicates with the CNS (central nervous system). Over 90 percent of serotonin in our body is produced in our digestive tract (Smith, 2015). So, the bacteria in our digestive tract can impact how much serotonin and other hormones are produced. What happens when our body lacks serotonin? Lack of serotonin can cause several disorders such as depression, anxiety, even alcohol abuse. Researchers have noticed that patients who have such mental disorders lack certain "good bacteria" in their digestive tracts. For instance, Actinobacteria (bad bacteria) has been shown in abundance in bi-polar patients, whereas Faecalibaterium (good bacteria) is scarce. Research on how gut microbiota impacts our mood is still very limited but is becoming a hot topic. Thankfully there are ways that we can reverse the damaging effects of gut bacteria before its too late.

How to Combat Gut Microbiota?

There are several ways to combat gut microbiota. Eating healthier and taking probiotics will ensure that you intake enough good bacteria to create balance in the digestive tract. Drinking water and eating enough fiber rich foods will keep the digestive system flushed and get rid of bad bacteria. One key factor to help reduce gut bacteria that we deal with in our everyday life is stress. Stress can disrupt the digestive microbiota, and cause issues throughout the whole body (Leonard, 2019). When stress occurs, meditating, working out, or just getting some sleep can help relieve you. Overall, making small changes in diet and lifestyle can help your immune system and health.

References

Huang, T.-T., Lai, J.-B., Du, Y.-L., Xu, Y., Ruan, L.-M., & Hu, S.-H. (2019). Current Understanding of Gut Microbiota in Mood Disorders: An Update of Human Studies Current Understanding of Gut Microbiota in Mood Disorders: An Update of Human Studies. Frontiers in Genetics, 10. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00098

Smith P. A. (2015). The tantalizing links between gut microbes and the brain. Nature 526 312–314. 10.1038/526312a

Senapathy, K. (2016, March 8). Keep Calm and Avoid Microbiome Mayhem. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kavinsenapathy/2016/03/07/keep-calm-and-avoid-microbiome-mayhem/#5642a25026b3

Leonard, Jayne. "10 Ways to Improve Gut Health." Medical News Today, 2019, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325293#prebiotic-fiber .