We know that the digestive system and the nervous system are connected. But how is this report established? And is it possible to strengthen this “relationship” for a healthier and happier life?
Our intestine houses over 100 million nerve cells and is responsible for the production of 95% of serotonin, a neurotransmitter related to well -being.
Recently, new scientific tests have strengthened the importance of the intestinal microbiota – a group of trillion and trillion of bacteria, viruses, mushrooms and other microscopic agents – to the health of the body and mind.
This shows how the intestine and the brain are connected and influence each other.
You probably had “butterflies in the stomach” as you fall in love with someone, you felt nausea before an important encounter or you were sick (or literally full of stool) during a period of constipation.
But how does this connection between such different organs work in practice? And is it possible to strengthen this connection with a healthier and happier life?
The intestine-cervello axis
These two organs are connected in three different ways, explains the gastroenterologist Salha Mahmood Ahmed, Ambassador of Bowel Research Uk, a British organization that does research and campaigns on the digestive system.
The first of these is the vagus nerve, a very important structure of the nervous system that directly connects the brain to various organs, such as the heart and the intestine.
Secondly, the brain and the intestine communicate with the help of hormones. These substances, such as Ghiline and GLP-1, are produced by the glands and send signs throughout the body.
The third mechanism involves the immune system.
“Many people think that these defense cells live only in the blood or lymph nodes, but in reality a large part of them operates in the intestine and acts as a mediator between the brain and the whole organism,” says Ahmed.
The neurogastroenterologist Pankaj Pasricha of the Mayo Clinic in the United States stresses that this special connection occurs because the brain needs a lot of energy to function – and the intestine is our energy plant.
He underlines that the brain represents only 2% of our body weight, but consumes 20% of the energy produced in the body.
The role of the intestine is precisely that of “breaking” foods in simple molecules and absorbing them to provide the “fuel” for the functioning of the whole body.
But this is a mutual relationship. In other words, the brain influences the intestine, but the intestine also influences the brain.
And we can think of many examples of this in our daily life.
When we face a dangerous or threatening situation, or even a very important event, such as a meeting at work, one of the first physiological responses occurs in the belly.
In these situations, we can experience nausea, cramps or even diarrhea.
Furthermore, when we are in love, we hear the famous “butterflies in the stomach” or that emotional sensation linked to the excitement of being close to someone we like very much.
On the other hand, if you are constipated and not in the bathroom for several days, this can cause irritation and stress – something that we describe as “sick”, whose literal meaning is “full of feces”.
A whole world in your belly
Our intestinal houses between 10 and 100 trillion cells of other organisms, including bacteria, viruses, mushrooms, protozoa and other microscopic agents.
This number exceeds the “right” amount of cells that a person has.
Experts explain that this abundant community has a symbiotic relationship with us.
They receive nutrients from the food we eat, but they also help us digest some ingredients that we are not able to process alone.
In the last two decades, knowledge of the microbiota and its influence on our health have grown considerably.
Ahmed explains that new tools and tests developed by scientists have contributed to measuring the microorganisms that inhabit the intestine and also include how they influence the development of some diseases.
“The changes in the balance of the microbiota, what we call dysbiosis, have been associated with almost all the diseases known by humans,” adds Pasricha.
In 2011, the neurogastroenterologist conducted a pioneering study with guinea pigs. At work, he noticed that gastric irritation in the first days “can induce a lasting increase in depression and anxious behaviors”.
Other research has shown that disbiosis – or an unbalanced intestinal microbiota – is associated with obesity, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer.
However, Pasricha underlines that we have not sufficient evidence to establish a clear cause and effect relationship, or if the problems encountered in the intestinal microbiota are actually the origin of various diseases.
“There is some tests, both in animal and human research, that it is possible to have problems that begin in the intestine and that can cause anxiety or depression. But these diseases have happened because of the intestine?
The recipe for a good microbiota
Do you give the recent discoveries on the microbiota and intestine-cervello connection, is it possible to obtain a perfect balance of microscopic agents living in our belly?
Ahmed explains that there is no “cake recipe” here, since each person has a different composition of bacteria, viruses and other agents.
“Each person’s microbioma is very different. It is not as if we were at the same starting point as any other human being,” he says.
But experts say that there are some general interventions that are considered beneficial for intestinal health.
Having a varied and balanced diet, for example, is a good start.
Probiotics – or foods that contain some types of beneficial bacteria for the digestive system, such as natural yogurt, kefir and kombucha – and prebiotics – that is, also ingredients rich in fiber that nourish microbiota as fruit and vegetables – should be protagonists of meals.
“I would say that diversity in the diet is very important, especially when we think of the vegetable foods that should be consumed,” says Ahmed.
The gastroenterologist recommends that everyone reflects on the quantity of fruit, vegetables, cereals, legumes, nuts, seeds and spices included in every meal.
“I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I believe in the need to make our diets more focused on vegetables,” he adds.
Ahmed highlights the studies that show a healthy microbioma in the people who eat, on average, 30 vegetable foods per week.
But can a diet change affect emotions and even help fight diseases such as depression?
A study conducted at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom brings some clues about it.
Experts brought 71 volunteers with depression and divided them into two groups. The first received probiotics for 4 weeks, while the second class took placebo (a substance without any therapeutic effect).
The study was randomized and in double blind, which means that scientists and participants did not know who took what.
During the experiment, the experts performed various tests to measure indicators such as humor, anxiety, sleep and cortisol (a hormone related to stress).
The clinical psychologist of Rita Baião, who guided the study, explains that the people of depression tend to focus more on negative feelings and facial expressions as regards the stimuli considered neutral or positive.
“We wanted to understand if the use of probiotics could interfere with the processing of emotional information in the brain,” says Baião, who is currently assistant professor at the University Institute of Lisbon, in Portugal.
“In the group that ingested probiotics, we observed a lower tendency to detect negative stimuli as regards facial expressions and other emotional information.”
Baião believes that probiotics can help relieve some depressive symptoms, but further research is needed to confirm this initial discovery.
“We still need more robust data, but there is evidence that probiotics can have a positive effect, with a good level of tolerance and few side effects,” he concludes.
Pasricha understands that changing the composition of the microbiota can request decades to have changes in health.
“And we know that for most people it is very difficult to keep certain habits for long periods,” he says.
“But with these research, we have collected essential pieces to complete this puzzle on the relationship between brain, intestine and microbiota”, concludes the doctor.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
