There’s an undeniable connection between the mind and gut. Everybody has experienced this at some point, whether it’s a gut feeling or butterflies in the stomach before a big event. A dialogue between these two vital organs has been recognized in some of the oldest, most ancient healing traditions.

The root of this connection lies in gut bacteria. There are trillions of bacteria living in your gut that play a crucial role in your gut-brain communication. Within the body, the vagus nerve is one of the largest nerves that connects the brain to the intestines. As a result, your gut microbiome interacts directly with your central nervous system to affect brain chemistry and regulate vital functions. This system of connections and communications between the brain and gut bacteria is called the gut-brain axis.

Gut Imbalance has been associated with:

Depression/Anxiety
Alzheimers
Parkinsons
ADHD/Autism

The Gut’s Heart

Turns out the gut has feelings too – or at least greatly impacts our feelings. Gut bacteria have been shown to directly affect mood and stress levels while playing a key role in serotonin production.

We know that serotonin is the feel-good neurotransmitter.Serotonin is an important brain neurotransmitter that plays a role in depression, migraines, and other neuropsychiatric illnesses. It was once thought that serotonin was produced in the brain, but research in the early 1980s proved that most of it was actually produced in gut linings. With this discovery, gastroenterology changed forever. It has been estimated that about 95% of serotonin is found in the GI tract. Research on gut serotonin lags behind brain research, and applications of serotonergic agents to gut disorders are still in their infancy. A number of selective serotonin agonists and antagonists are being proposed as treatments for gut disorders. This is primarily due to their direct effects on the gut rather than any central effects.