How Beneficial Gut Bacteria Influence Mental Health

Gut health helps in regulating many functions of the body such as immunity, digestion, waste elimination, mental health, and absorption of nutrients. There are diverse good and bad bacteria in the gut that contribute to the immunity of the body, send signals to the brain, protect the body against infection, and many other functions. Thus, mood, behavior, and cognition can be affected when the gastrointestinal tract sends signals to the brain.

The relation of mental health to the gut

The gut and the brain continuously exchange signals. When there is an imbalance in the good and the bad bacteria in the guts, there is a break in communication which results in mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, mood swings, and neurodevelopment conditions.

In order to regulate mental health, the gut bacteria produce and come in contact with neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid and serotonin. These neurotransmitters play an important role in managing mood and emotions. The gut is responsible for the production of Serotonin which is a kind of hormone that induces sleep, appetite, and mood. When there is an imbalance in the gut microbiome, these neurotransmitters are unable to signal properly which leads to mental health disorders. Gastrointestinal disorders like ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel disorder have a maximum effect on mental health. 

Read more: How gut health affects sleep conditions

Ways to improve mental health in concern with gut bacteria

The only way to improve mental health conditions is by diversifying the number of good microbes in the gut. Some of the ways to take care of the gut along with a healthy gut are:

• Consume a balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fermented food to include omega-3 fatty acids and fiber in the diet.
• To induce the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, include prebiotics such as bananas, onions etc and probiotics such as prickles, yogurt, etc.
• The gut-brain axis can be hampered by chronic stress. Mental and gut health can be improved by regular exercise and stress-reducing activities.
• Good microbes in the gut can be affected by the overuse of antibiotics and thus impact mental health. Restricts consumption of antibiotics.

The gut and brain connection

The numerous bacteria in the gut are responsible for all the domains of human psychology.  The gut is considered the second brain of the body and unlike the other parts of the body,  it sometimes works without the support of the brain. The gut microbiome instructs several functions of the body :

• Production of new blood vessels
• Protection against infections
• Digests complex food materials

The gut produces chemical messengers in the form of neurotransmitters which exchange signals between the gut and the brain. It helps in controlling all sorts of emotions. The gut releases 80% of the feel-good hormone which is known as serotonin, thus the mental issues are not the result of chemical imbalance in the brain, instead, it is because of the imbalance in the neurotransmitters in the gut.

The gut-brain axis connects the central nervous system which incorporates the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract. The vagus nerve of the autonomic nervous system links the gut to the brain which communicates to the brain about the gut. This vagus nerve helps one in swallowing, breathing, and digesting food. The vagus nerve serves three purposes in the digestive system:

• It helps in the movement of the food through the digestive tract
• It communicates the need of the guts to the brain
• It produces the enzymes which help in digestion.

The vagus nerve detects when the consumed food is broken down and transformed into short-chained fatty acid. It regulates the digestive process by sending signals to the brain about the functions in the gut. Stress and other mental issues destroy the vagus nerve which makes it impaired to react to inflammations. This impairment of the nerve is bad for the gut bacteria.

Mental health conditions that are linked to gut bacteria

The mental health conditions which are linked to the imbalance in the digestive system are :

• Schizophrenia
• Depression and anxiety
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Dementia
• Autism

The beneficial gut bacteria that is responsible for mental health is lactobacillus which is found in fermented food and yogurt. It helps in reducing stress and anxiety.

Butyrate is a kind of short-chained fatty acid produced in the gut which is responsible for elevating the food. It is produced by the healthy gut microbes when we eat leafy vegetables, nuts, fruits, and legumes. Butyrate keeps the gut lining strong and intact, it restricts inflammation which is not good for the mood.

Probiotics for mental health

Natural Probiotics or good bacteria exist inside the digestive system. Generally, there is a balance between probiotics or good bacteria and the harmful bacteria. When there is a disbalance between the bacteria, it causes dysbiosis which eventually results in various health conditions.

There is a kind of probiotic supplement known as psychobiotic which is a special type of bacteria responsible for boosting the overall mood.  The bacteria and the probiotics in the gut play a huge role in the gut-brain axis :

• Influence the functioning of the brain and control responses to stress
• Neurotransmitters which are produced by the bacteria affect sleep habits, appetite, and mood
• Controls inflammation of the body which may otherwise lead to depression.

Probiotics and prebiotics have shown promising results in managing the symptoms of mental health.

Conclusion

There is a proven link between the gut and the brain. There are good bacteria in the gut responsible for mental health and Foods or supplements that contain prebiotics and probiotics can enhance gut health as well as overall health. Dysbiosis refers to the imbalance in the gut microbiome that is related to the development of depression.

Beneficial gut bacteria serve an important role in strengthening immunity and enhancing mental health through the brain axis. It helps in reducing symptoms of depression and stress by affecting neurotransmitter signaling and production.