The Gut-Brain Connection
Let's do a deep dive into the science and mechanisms on how the Gut-Brain Connection truly works.
It all begins with the gut and our microbes. The classic Hippocrates quote is tossed around more than ever these days, “All disease begins in the gut.” It’s amazing to think how they had understood this in some of the earliest forms of “medicine,” and yet we’re just beginning to uncover the science behind now.
Our mouth and gut are what separates you from the outside world. Both with its own microbiome and an ability to communicate with one another. As food enters our system, it comes in contact with a think layer of mucus, known as the; Gut mucosal lining.
This thin layer of mucus can either be strengthened or weakened from our bacteria, depending on the foods we eat. Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia Mucinilphila are the 2 major players at strengthening the gut mucus layer, ensuring no breaks or leaks occur.
On the other-hand, we have dysbiotic bacteria, like the Colostridia family of bacteria, which feeds off refined and processed sugars. These dysbiotic strains of bacteria work to produce LPS (lipopolysaccharide), a toxin that works to break through our gut lining and epithelial barrier. This is when we begin to see the early stages of leaky gut.
Now, coming back to the good family of bacteria; Bifidobacteria. Different strains of bifidobacteria in the gut have been shown to produce higher ratios and unique combinations of helper T cells (NK-T).
These natural killer T cells are responsible for lowering inflammation in the gut by activating anti-inflammatory proteins. They also work to down-regulate inflammatory proteins like IL-6, IL-1B and TNF-a. When elevated, these inflammatory proteins will re-locate in the body and begin to wreak havoc on the gut and brain.
These NK-T cells produced by Bifido will help keep the gut closed, sealed and healthy.
So let’s break this down as a step-by-step process to understand how bad bacteria drive brain fog, cognitive decline, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Bad bacteria -> Secretes LPS (endotoxin) -> LPS breaks through the gut lining -> Activating inflammatory immune cells (M1 Macrophages) -> Sending inflammatory cytokines to re-locate in our adipose tissue and the brain.
The exact opposite happens when we’re proliferating high amounts of Bifidobacteria.
High populations of bifidobacteria -> Closes and strengthens the gut lining -> Produces natural T killer cells -> Clears away inflammatory cytokines and directly blunts LPS.
A healthy gut is a healthy brain. It is all connected. Food will always be our medicine first and foremost.
Achieving a healthy gut begins with HMOs. A fast emerging tool in the gut health space for many reasons, as it’s heavily backed with immense research.
The main strain of Human Milk Oligosaccharides “2-fucoysllactose” has been shown to feed key strains of bifidobacteria better than most substrate in the beginning stages. They also work to turn on specific genes like; FUT2 (2-fucosyltransferase) which directly seal and heal the gut lining.
HMOs help strengthen the gut lining and feed key strains of bifidobacteria, which will greatly improve cognitive function, reduce brain fog and prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia from forming.
