Do certain environments make you feel nauseous? Have you ever experienced butterflies in certain situations? There is a perfect explanation for these feelings and it’s called the gut/brain link.
Biologically speaking, you have 2 nervous systems. These are your central nervous system and your enteric nervous system which comprises if your gastrointestinal tract and your central nervous system which comprises of your brain and spinal cord. Both of these systems are created from the same tissue during foetal development and connected by a nerve called the vagus nerve. This nerve connects your brain stem to your abdomen. Research has shown that this important nerve is the primary communication tool your gut uses to send messages to your brain.
For a long time, experts believed that psychological problems were the cause of many gut problems. However, evidence now suggests that this relationship may work in reverse. Problems of the gastrointestinal tract may cause psychological distress.
Another important fact in the gut/brain connection is the fact that just as there is serotonin in your brain, serotonin is found in your gut too. The serotonin found in your gut is actually of a higher concentration than in your brain. Serotonin is involved in mood and sleep. A recent study published found that people with IBS have significantly lower levels of serotonin in cells lining the stomach.1
Increasing evidence shows that gut bacteria may play a crucial role in cancer, obesity, allergies as well as emotional and behavioural issues. Studies have found that whilst bad gut bacteria can cause anxiety, good bacteria has been shown to relieve stress and promote calm.
The Journal of Neuroatroenterology and Motility 2011 Dec;23(12):1132-9, found that the probiotic known as Bifidobacterium longun NCC3001 normalized anxious behaviour in mice presenting with colitis. The particular bacteria strain did this by curbing the vagal conmmunications within the gut and brain.
