How intestinal bacteria influence our brain and our mental health

How intestinal bacteria influence our brain and our mental health

We often consider bacteria to be the culprits of infections and illnesses - something that we have to eliminate from our environment.

It is true that some types of bacteria, viruses and mushrooms cause diseases and are even fatal, but there are thousands of types of microorganisms that not only support the smooth functioning of the body systems, but are also of crucial importance for our health and well -being. These are the good bugs.

The population of the good beetles in our intestine is referred to as intestinal microbioma. Discussions and research on the intestinal microbioma often focus on the health of the digestive system and nutrition. While this is an important role in the intestinal microbioma for our general health and our well -being, there is another role of intestinal bacteria for our general health, which is often overlooked. The status of the intestinal microbioma of an individual has a profound influence on mental health.

How do intense bacteria influence our mental and emotional health? Read on to learn more about science and the mechanisms of how good beetles affect your brain.

What is the intestinal microbioma? A refreshment

The intestinal microbioma is the term for the collective population of bacteria, viruses and mushrooms that live in the intestine. A normal intestinal microbioma contains no pathogenic bacteria, viruses and fungi - of which that cause infections and diseases. They are either benign or functional for the digestive, regulation and immune processes of our body.

Normal intestinal microbioma gives the body specific functions, including:

Nutrient metabolism Xenobiotic and drug metabolism Conservation of the structural integrity of intestinal mucosa barriers Immun modulation Protection against pathogens

A Dearmicrobioma of the individual At a certain point in time, the result of numerous historical, environmental and internal or biological factors is, including:

Type of childbirth at birth: a person born by vaginal childbirth is exposed to more benign bacteria that influence the intestinal microbioma. Infant nutritional method: Children who are nourished by breastfeeding are more likely to have a more diverse microbiome. Genetic equipment: The genetics of a person influence the human metabolism and the number of certain bacteria that occur in the intestinal microbiota. Infections, formerly and up -to -date: Pathogenic infections can displace or kill health -promoting bacteria. Medicines: In addition to the pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics can also kill useful microbiota. Other drugs can influence the metabolism and the general conditions in the body that support useful bacteria. Supplement: supplement with Probiotics and Specific vitamins can have an impactThe intestinal microbioma. Nutrition: The total nutrient absorption and nutritional patterns influence the variety and population of intestinal bacteria. We discuss the specific nutritional factors that influence the intestinal microbiota in a later section. Movement: moderate, regular exercise and physical activity reduce inflammation and help create an environment in which useful bacteria can thrive. Emphasize: Chronic stress or extreme stress Can cause irregularities in the immune system that facilitate pathogenic bacteria to colonize the intestine. In addition, stress can change behaviors and lifestyles that do not support general health and well -being.

The intestinal brain axis: how the intestinal microbioma affects mental health

The area of ​​nutritional psychology has uncovered the diverse possibilities of how certain nutrients and eating habits can influence mental health. Because of the work and research of nutritional psychologists, we do not know how what we eat, the brain function and ultimately affects our mood. For example, investigations suggest that Improvement of the diversity of nutrition and quality lower the risk of depression and the appearance of Fear. Because depression is one inflammatory condition, an anti -inflammatory diet can make a major contribution to treatment.

How does that affect what we eat, our mood and general mental health?

One of the paths on which the intestinal microbioma can influence mental health leads to the Darm-brain axis, which are "bidirectional interactions between the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract". TheStudied the intestinal brain axishas shown that there is a huge communication system between two body systems that consider many people separately. In fact, these systems are closely intertwined, as we describe below.

The intestinal brain axis consists of:

The central nervous system. It comprises the brain and the spinal cord, and the Enteric nervous system includes the neuronal circuits that control basic functions such as blood flow, secretion, mucous membrane transport and modulation of immune and endocrine functions. The gastrointestinal tract or GI tract. This is the series of hollow organs, which include the mouth, esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestine and anus. Other organs that are part of the digestive system and have a direct interaction with the GI tract: This includes the liver, the pancreas and the gallbladder. The intestinal microbiota: the bacterial population in the intestine.

You can find more information on this in the article how theDarm-brain axisaffects mental health.

Good beetles in the intestine: the connection between digestion and mental health?

While the bacteria in the intestine are traditionally enclosed in the intestinal side of the intestinal brain axis, the microbiota from the host (us, humans!) Are completely separate microorganisms.

Not just nutrition, but measurable Changes in the intestinal microbiota were associated with affective and depressed disorders. In fact, a diverse and populous variety of types of intestinal microbiota can help maintain normal mental processes, as well as those involved in mental and neurological diseases.

What do intestinal bacteria have to do with mental health? Our emotional and mental state has an influence on the chemicals that circulate in the body, which can create an environment that is either welcome or avoids microorganisms.

Let's take a look at an example. Mental illnesses and disorders influence the synthesis of several chemicals, including hormones such as cortisol. Cortisol activated Molecular patterns associated with danger and activates chronically stress cascades. These in turn change the production of a number of circulating stem cells and create an undesirable environment for friendly bacteria. This leads to dysbiosis or a lack of balance of the intestinal microbiota.

At the same time, gastrointestinal diseases that Dysbiosis, influence the production of short -chain fatty acids, the synthesis of neurotransmitters and the chemical signal transmission. These also affect the production and modulation of circulating stem cells that cause a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Food and mood: nutritional quality and its effects on the intestinal microbioma and mental health

The connection between gut microbiota and brain health is clear. So by creating a balance of insect good gut, you can improve some of the factors that influence mental health.

How can we build a healthy microbiota population in the intestine? One of the paths is nutrition.

The diet quality can influence the intestinal microbioma by reducing or restricting the variety of useful microorganisms in the intestine. What a person eats can lead to infection with pathogens, inflammation and the erosion of the mucus layer in the intestine. This can be tooIntestinal permeabilityand low short chain fatty acids.

A diet that does not support a healthy gut is prevalent in the following foods:

Meat and processed meat food, the rich in probiotic bacteria are saturated fat, lively grain sugar salt alcohol fructose from corn

On the other hand, a diet, which mainly consists of the following foods, supports intestinal health:

Fruit vegetables fiber vegetable proteins simple unsaturated fatty acids omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Read this diet to find out more about itFoods that support intestinal health.

Main takeaways

The role of nutrition and eating habits can influence mental health in many ways. One of the paths is the influence of our food on the intestinal microbioma. However, remember that nutrition is only a factor that influences the intestinal microbioma and general mental health and well -being. There are many factors that influence mental health, including:

Genetic factors of other conditions and diseases, formerly and today medication additions
Social determinants of health and well -being Life experience, discrimination and trauma contain. These have the greatest influence on mental health

Exploring the nuances and complex relationships between habits, environment, genetics, microbiota, biology and personal health history can sometimes appear to be confusing, but is helpful to have greater awareness of the multidimensional ways in which health produces and is preserved.

References

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... more about it in the next part.
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