Gut-Brain Connection

Can we just acknowledge how fascinating the research is on the connection between the brain and the gut?! Before I was diagnosed with Celiac, I admit that I had relatively little knowledge on gut health. When I became really ill preceding my Celiac diagnosis, I was suffering from brain fog, mood lability, unexplained bouts of sadness, among the rest the classic physical symptoms. I have learned much more on the topic of gut/brain health since then, and I will BRIEFLY share some of the research I have found on the brain-gut connection below. :-)

Intro

There is a plethora of research on the connection between the brain and gut, so much that the gut has been given the nickname, "the second brain." Brogan (2016) supports the connection between the brain and gut: while we have a central nervous system, we also have an enteric nervous system, which is intrinsic to the gastrointestinal tract. Both systems actually are comprised of the same tissue (during fetal development) and are connected by the vagus nerve, as it runs from the brainstem to the abdomen (Brogan, 2016). In simpler terms, the gut has nerve cells that act as a brain.

Auto-intoxication

Evidence shows a connection between toxic conditions in the gut and brain/mood function; this wonder is termed, “auto intoxication” (Brogan, 2016). There exists intriguing evidence which reveals the compelling network between the gastrointestinal, immune, and nervous systems and their effects on mental well being. In one study, performed on mice, the ability of intestinal bacteria to influence the brain and behavior was investigated. The intestinal microbiota of mice were manipulated to conclude that gut bacteria might influence anxiety-like behaviors (Bercik, et. al., 2012). Our second brain is revolutionizing medicine’s understanding of the links between digestion, mood, cognition, and overall health. Certain probiotics are actually formulated to aid in the management of depression and anxiety!

Sugar/Inflammation

After learning that the gut and nervous system influence each other, I researched how what individuals put into the gut intricately affect well being, beginning with sugar. Evidence shows us that repeated exposure to insulin (due to excess sugar intake) can cause insulin-resistance; this process generates the pancreas to secrete higher levels of insulin (Musselman, et. al., 2011). In succinct, the pancreas adapts to the excess sugar circulating in the body and for that reason, the body requires more insulin to move any ingested glucose. There are detrimental effects from this (aside from the development of Type 2 Diabetes): higher levels of insulin circulating in the blood cause blood glucose levels to plunge and result in brain-based alarm/confusion as well as bodily irritation (Brogan, 2016).Additionally, a study, led at Michigan State and Dankook University in South Korea, found that women with high fasting blood glucose levels, high glycohemoglobin, and high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significant predictors of depression (Kim, Shin, & Song, 2015). In unanimity, Pasco, et. al. (2010), found CRP to be an independent foretelling factor for depression in the population of women. These pieces of evidence suggest that unregulated blood glucose levels and inflammation can negatively impact one’s mental health status. Ingredients that foster inflammation of the gut include: gluten, sugar, artificial sweeteners, casein proteins, and processed vegetable oils (Brogan, 2016).

Conclusion

It has been believed for decades that anxiety, emotional upset, etc. have been the cause for GI distress, when research actually supports that it may very well be the other way around. When the immune system takes a hit by what is put into the body (I.e. gut irritants, excess sugar, gluten, processed vegetable oils such as canola), a cascade of events occurs, resulting in inflammation of the body. Additionally, adding unregulated blood sugar creates a recipe for disaster that negatively impacts an individual’s mental health. The reoccurrence of this cycle can take a great toll on an individual's gut health and therefore the individual's mental health. Unfortunately, I think a lot more research on the topic is needed for a significant shift in how the gut-brain connection is understood. However, I am excited for the research that is to come and am hopeful that It will lead to new treatment opportunities that are more effective and elicit less side and adverse effects.

References

Brogan, K., MD, & Loberg, K. (2016). A mind of your own: The truth about depression and how women can heal their bodies to reclaim their lives. New York, NY:  HarperCollins.

Kim, W. K., Shin, D., & Song, W. O. (2015). Depression and it’s comorbid conditions more serious in women than in men in the United States. Journal of Women’s Health, 24(12),              978-985. doi:10.1089/jwh.2014.4919

Musselman, L. P., Fink, J.L., Narzinski, K., Ramachandran, P.V., Hathiramani S.S., Cagan, R.L., Baranski, T.J. (2011). A high-sugar diet produces obesity and insulin resistance in wild- type Drosophila. Disease Models & Mechanisms. 4: 842-849;  doi:10.1242/dmm.007948

Pasco, J. A., Geoffrey, N. C., & Williams, L. J., Jacka, F.N., Henry, M.J., Kotowicz, M.A.,...Berk, M. (2010). Association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein with de novo               Major Depression. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 197, 372-377.                                                doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.109.076430