The Gut-Brain Connection: How It Works
Have you ever wondered why you can always trust your gut?
It’s likely because your brain and gut are constantly communicating with each other. What’s more, this back-and-forth plays an important role in your health and wellbeing.
This article explains the different ways your gut and brain are connected.
How are they connected?
Through your Nervous System
The nervous system is a network that relays messages between your brain and body. It’s made up of nerves and special cells called neurons, which control many important processes such as your reflexes, muscle contractions, heartbeat, and much more.
Millions of these nerves are located in the gut and relay messages to and from the brain. This includes one of the largest nerves in the body called the vagus nerve, which helps move food down your digestive tract and plays a key role in your gut immunity.
Through Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help the brain communicate with the body. They play important roles, like controlling your feelings and emotions. Surprisingly, a lot of neurotransmitters are made in your gut, like GABA—which controls fear and anxiety—and both serotonin and dopamine, the feel-good hormones. That’s a big reason why some scientists believe there’s a connection between gut health and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Through your Gut Bacteria
Did you know that trillions of bacteria live inside your gut? Collectively, these bacteria are called your microbiota and they are crucial to your health. For starters, these bacteria make chemicals that affect how your brain works. This includes short-chain fatty acids—such as butyrate, propionate, and acetate. Research shows that these fatty acids can influence your appetite and strengthen your brain’s natural defense systems. They also help with making hormones in the gut, like the happy hormone serotonin.
Summary
Your gut and brain are connected physically through nerves, chemically through neurotransmitters, and biologically through gut bacteria, which produce compounds that can affect your brain health.
