Your Gut Can Cause Anxiety Decode the link

Do you know that the brain has a strong impact on the stomach and intestine? The gastrointestinal tract (gut) is also sensitive to emotion. This brain-gut connection goes both ways. Just as a distressed brain can communicate with a troubled gut, a distress intestine can communicate with the brain. As a result, anxiety, stress, or depression may be brought on by or result from a person's digestive or stomach issue owing to the close relationship between the gastrointestinal (GI) system and the brain. Remember occasions when challenging situations triggered a sudden urge to visit the restroom. This simple example highlights the connection between the anxiety-gut connections. Prolonged sensations of worry, dread, and sadness are hallmarks of the common mental health disorders anxiety and depression. Anxiety is characterized by increased uneasiness about impending events while depression involves prolonged low mood and a decreased interest in activities. Both anxiety and depression can lead to physical symptoms and interfere with day-to-day functioning. Given how closely the gut and brain interact, let’s discuss this connection in detail and its impact on mental illness.

Is Gut Your Second Brain?

Your gut is often called to as the second brain. The brain is directly connected to the GI by the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), and signals flow between the two to control some aspects of digestion. This gut-brain axis, a two-way channel that facilitates communication between the central nervous system and the digestive tract is the main force behind this connection.

The gut is a complex network of neurons that works nonstop to break down food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate unnecessary products from your body.

The gastrointestinal tract is made up of many bacterial species known as "microbiomes," which involves a system of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract that plays an important role in people’s health. These microbiomes contain beneficial microorganisms that control metabolism and digestion. However, stress can change the composition of your gut microbiota. Your gut microbiota has an impact on more than simply your physical well-being. Growing scientific research over the years has demonstrated their capacity to interact with the brain, often known as the gut-brain connection, and consequently affect your mood.

Decoding the Anxiety-Gut-Brain Connection

 

There is a well-established link that exists between your digestive system and brain health. Mental health is also significantly influenced by the relationship between our stomach and brain. Tiny organisms and chemicals in the gut have an impact on our emotions. An imbalance can lead to problems like anxiety and depression. Lifestyle factors like our nutrition, medications, way of life, and stress may all throw off this equilibrium, affecting our gut microbiome.

When our gut microbiome is disrupted, our mood is also influenced, as it can affect the production of chemicals like serotonin in our gut. Serotonin is the natural “feel-good” chemical produced in the gut. Serotonin plays a role in memory, mood regulation, anger, fear, appetite, stress, addiction, sexual pleasure, sleep, and pain perception. Additionally, some gut microbes produce chemicals that affect our brains. The gut may become "leaky" due to changes in the microbiome, allowing toxic substances to enter our bloodstream and causing inflammation, which can have an impact on our mood and brain. Leaky gut is a condition due to microbial imbalance when “bad” bacteria cut holes in the gut lining, and some of them, along with food particles and toxins, leak into the bloodstream.

 

Also, disruptions in gut health, caused by factors like low-grade inflammation, or leaky gut, can adversely impact serotonin production. We all know now that maintaining normal serotonin levels is important to generate feelings of happiness and calmness.

Ways To Get a Healthier Gut

 

• Try choosing fresh fruits and veggies instead of packed juices. You can also try frozen fruits as well, as long as they don't have any added sugars or chemicals.
  
  
• Increase the amount of fiber in your diet by adding more whole foods or legumes to your diet.
  
  
• Limit your intake of alcohol and caffeine, as these may worsen anxiety for some people.
  
  
• Add foods high in probiotics, like curd or even plain yoghurt, to your diet. Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when taken, improve or restore the gut flora, improve digestion, prevent intestinal inflammation, and offer other health advantages.

 

• Eat less red meat and choose a balanced diet that includes lean poultry and fish that can significantly improve gut health.

 

• Try various stress relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety, including:

• mindfulness
• meditation
• yoga
• breathing exercises

 

Hence, the gut-brain connection provides a profound insight into how one's gut health and mood are impacted by any alteration in microbiome activity. Medical professionals advise a well-balanced diet, increased intake of probiotics, and the need to reduce the intake of processed and ultra-processed foods, which are known to cause inflammation and other intestinal problems. Consult your healthcare provider if you exhibit signs of an anxiety problem or ongoing stomach problems.

 

If you have any questions related to connection between gut health and anxiety or depression, you can check with our physician at Ask a doctor, 24x7. Also, our dietitian offers advice on importance of good diet and how to add probiotics to improve your gut health.