Could your digestive health be affecting your mental and emotional health?
In my last blog, I talked about how your emotions could be affecting your digestion but in this blog I wanted to delve deeper and discuss how your digestion reversely could also be affecting your emotions.
I have heard many stories from my clients discussing the stressful and emotional impact of dealing with IBS symptoms. From organising their day around their bowel habits, to choosing the places they go to visit on the vicinity of toilet facilities, to avoiding eating at work, so as not to suffer with any difficult symptoms that may affect their work performance. There is no doubt, that suffering with digestive issues will affect how you feel. But could digestive dysfunction cause an imbalance in your emotional or mental wellbeing?
A study showed that 70% patients who have been diagnosed with IBS have also sought medical attention for psychiatric comorbidity. With 46% with depression, 34% with anxiety, 31% with panic disorders.
The vagus nerve connects the brain with the gut.
In recent years there has been growing interest in gut health and there has been a huge number of studies on the link between the health of the gut and how it effects our brains and our behaviour. The term gut-brain connection or gut-brain axis has become well known. But what do we mean by this?
There is a communication network of nerves from the gut to the brain which is known as the gut-brain axis.
The main nerve that connects the gut and the brain is called the vagus nerve which actually sends signals from the brain to the gut and also signals from the gut to the brain.
This links up emotional and cognitive centres of the brain and the nerve functioning of the digestive tract.
Neurotransmitters, which control our feelings and emotions are mostly made in our gut with the help of the good bacteria in our gut microbiome.
Neurons are cells which tell our body how it needs to function and these cells are mainly found in our brains and within the nervous system but studies have shown that our gut also can house around 500 million of these neurons. Which has helped to give the gut the nickname of the second brain.
The gut also communicates to the brain through our immune system by circulating inflammatory signals.
The gut will also produce and send hormonal messengers to the brain; for example, tell the brain we are full or hungry.
The gut is in constant interaction with the 70 trillion microorganisms that live within us.
There are 150 million nerve cells in the gut.
I am sure you can now see how the gut really does play such an essential role in regulating so many cellular functions and it also goes some way in explaining why the gut has been associated with so many health issues and diseases.
Food sensitivities or allergies can increase inflammation in the gut. This inflammation can not only alter the gut microbes and permeability of the gut lining but studies have also shown that they can also increase inflammation in the brain which can lead to mental health issues.
One study of women who suffer with IBS and particularly with chronic constipation, found the women also had low activity within the vagus nerve and their flight and flight effects of the sympathetic nervous system were enhanced by the increased inflammatory markers and increased constipation.
Dysbiosis, the imbalance in the gut microbiome, has been linked to mental health issues.
Could Candida overgrowth be at the root of your mental health?
Candida albicans is a yeast-like fungus naturally found in small amounts in our digestive tracts. If there is not enough good bacteria to keep it in check then it can thrive. When there is candida overgrowth (candidiasis), this can result in digestive disturbances such as bloating, wind and general discomfort, thrush, fatigue, skin problems, irritability, depression, mood swings, anxiety etc. It tends to like warm, moist environments and feeds on sugar and yeasts in our diets. It can travel from the digestive tract to other areas in the body such as our genitals and bladder and through our bloodstream. I will be writing more about candida overgrowth in my next blog which will be coming soon.
Studies have also shown links with candida and mental health issues. At the moment, it is early days to definitively say that the fungus candida could be a cause of mental health issues but Emily Severance, Ph.D, assistant professor of pediatrics and member of the Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says that “most Candida infections can be treated in their early stages, and clinicians should make it a point to look out for these infections in their patients with mental illness.”
90% of our happy hormone, Serotonin is made in our Gut
Studies have also shown that the gut contains the majority of our serotonin (our happy hormone) and that 90% of our bodies serotonin is actually made in the gut. Serotonin production also modulates intestinal mucus and movement within the gut. And it helps to control our sleep and body clock.
Serotonin is made from the essential amino acid tryptophan which we get from protein sources like nuts and seeds, soya, eggs, turkey, salmon and pineapple. Tryptophan deficiency can lead to lower serotonin levels which can result in mood disorders, such as anxiety or depression. IBS sufferers with constipation often also have low levels of serotonin.
Can good gut bacteria really improve our mood and wellbeing?
There have been a number of studies proving that the good bacteria in your gut can influence brain chemistry and consequently behaviour.
Taking a probiotic can improve symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. A study showed that taking probiotics for 8 weeks had significantly improved symptoms of depression.
L. helveticus and B. longum on human subjects had beneficial psychological effects with a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol.
Animal studies showed that the probiotic strains had significant improved effects on behaviours.
L. rhamnosus demonstrated reduced anxiety
B. Infantis has been shown to increase plasma tryptophan levels
L. helveticus was shown to prevent diet‐induced anxiety‐like behavior and memory
B. longum reversed colitis‐induced anxiety
L. helveticus and B. longum decreased anxiety
Probiotics with the capacity to positively impact on symptoms of depression or anxiety have recently been termed psychobiotics.
Naturopathy aims to resolve the issue rather than manage the symptoms. The aim is to be free of symptoms and improve overall wellbeing. In my experience of treating digestive health issues with my clients, I can see quite clearly how this affects their mental wellbeing and I always love seeing the change in their mood and vitality as we work through my gut healing treatment plans. When we start putting in place what the digestive system needs to work efficiently, take out what it doesn’t need and put in what it needs to heal then it will respond quite quickly. The more chronic the issue the harder and longer it takes to resolve and it is much easier to rebalance digestive dysfunction than it is to resolve digestive diseases. So if you are experiencing digestive health issues don’t delay in getting support in resolving them. To find out more about my consultations then click here.