Understanding the Role of Prebiotics and Probiotics in Support of the Gut-Brain Axis

Research continues to further advance our understanding of the importance of a healthy microbiome in the gut to the overall health of the body. We used to say, “you are what you eat”. But now we understand what you eat defines more than who you are, it defines how you think and what you feel. 

Affect, motivation, and higher cognitive functions depend on the health of the gut microbiome. Therefore, prebiotics and probiotics are crucial to maintaining a healthy gut. To better understand the need for gut support, it helps to understand the gut-brain axis.

Mapping the Gut-Brain Axis

The gut-brain axis (GBA) involves bidirectional communication between the central and the enteric nervous system. The molecular interaction is complex. The central nervous system maintains gut homeostasis and proper digestion while the gut produces hormones such as serotonin that impact everything from mood to the quality of sleep. Afferent and efferent neurons connect neuronal pathways and transmit signals. In order to function properly, the gut relies on a microbiome teeming with gut microbiota. 

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These microbiota inhabit the gastrointestinal tract, which offers a large but vulnerable surface to house their ecosystem. Dietary patterns, medication usage, bacterial or viral infection, and environmental factors can disrupt the gut microbiome and negatively impact gut health. Disruption in the gut upsets the communication flow between the gut and the brain. Researchers suspect this disruption can result in conditions ranging from Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease to autism spectrum disorder. While research continues, what is clear is that in order to support a healthy body and a healthy mood, you must support a healthy gut. This is where prebiotics and probiotics play an important role. 

Healthy Gut Microbiome

Trillions of microbes reside in the healthy human body, and the bulk of these make their home in the gut. The gut microbiota represents four phyla: Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. In addition, two minor phyla, Verrucomicrobia and Fusobacteria are represented as well. 

The bacteria communicate with each other as well as the host epithelium to maintain homeostasis and support the immune system. When the biome is balanced and the patient is healthy, these gut microbiota stimulate the production of short-chain fatty acids, gut-derived peptides, neurotransmitters, and regulatory T and B cells through their interactions with intestinal immune cells.

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However, when the intestinal flora are disrupted and gut health is compromised, the microbiota support inflammation through increased inflammatory T and B cells, LPS, and production of proinflammatory cytokines to disrupt the blood-brain barrier.  

The brain isn’t the only organ to suffer. An unhealthy gut microbiome interferes with healthy insulin and GABA levels and can also contribute to constipation, gas, bloating, IBS, ulcers, diarrhea, and reflux. 

Negative Influences on the Gut Biome

Antibiotics can provide a powerful tool for fighting infection and ridding the body of unwanted bacteria. Unfortunately, antibiotics can’t differentiate between the good bacteria in the gut and the bad bacteria causing infection. Random studies of the effect of amoxicillin show a reduced abundance of enterobacteria after a course of treatment.

Highly processed foods are high in sugar. Recent studies indicate that a high intake of sugar increases the relative abundance of Proteobacteria in the gut microbiome while at the same time decreasing the abundance of Bacteroidetes. This imbalance promotes metabolic endotoxemia and systemic inflammation. The diet is one of the most influential factors in maintaining a healthy gut. Prebiotics and probiotics offer nutritional support to any diet.

How Prebiotics and Probiotics Support a Healthy Gut

The microbiome must be fed on a regular basis. Prebiotics are non-digestible plant fibers that feed the intestinal flora. Flaxseeds, okra, broccoli, artichokes, garlic, onions, avocados, green bananas, sweet potatoes, in-season blueberries and 100% cacao are examples of healthy prebiotics. Ideally, the diet would provide the right amount of plant fiber to keep the good bacteria in the gut well-fed.

Unfortunately, the modern diet often lacks sufficient plant fiber to keep the microbiome properly fed. Ironically, in feeding the body many people inadvertently starve their intestinal flora and their gut health suffers.

Probiotics supplement the beneficial microorganisms we want to flourish in the gut. While some probiotics are ingested through the diet, it frequently isn’t enough to keep the microbiome in balance. Yogurt may be a great source of Lactobacillus Acidophilus, but it isn’t a viable option for the lactose intolerant.

Everyone benefits from nutritional supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics. Both are provided in the Total Probiotics supplement by Nutri-West. 

Adding Total Probiotics to a daily regime of supplements ensures each patient gets all the prebiotics and probiotics they need to support a healthy gut biome. It’s like feeding and replenishing the microbiome on a daily basis. 

A healthy gut is crucial for a healthy body. 

Want to Learn More?

Want to know how prebiotics and probiotics can help improve your patient care outcomes? Talk to the chiropractors at Nutri-West of New York.Dr. Jamie Forster and Dr. Jason Horowitz are ready to help you grow your practice and increase patient satisfaction. Schedule your consultation today.

Why Is My Baby Crying

Why Is My Baby Crying? The Answer May Surprise You

MYTH: A baby that doesn’t stop crying for an insubordinate amount of time is simply spoiled! Some parents and professionals give advice, by saying, “let the baby cry and eventually the child will calm down”. “If you keep picking them up every time they cry, they will be spoiled”.

There is a very common and treatable condition called COLIC. We should start this article off by defining the word colic; It is generally defined as the condition of a newborn or infant who is suffering from intestinal gas. The location of the gas cramps is usually in the colon (large intestine), therefore they are called colic babies from the root word colon. 

Causes for this condition may vary. The first one I would like to discuss with the readers, is that a breast-feeding mother’s diet will affect the baby. Much of the food ingested and digested by the mother can transfer in the breast milk. Basically, any foods that would make the mother “gassy” will affect the baby in the same way. Everyone has experienced this at some point in life. Some examples of foods that will produce intestinal gas are, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts), beans, legumes (split pea, lentils) and raw vegetables (salad). Don’t get me wrong, some of these foods are the healthiest foods on the planet, but they will usually create gas in the mother and therefore transfer in the breast milk.

The second cause of colic stems from such a common condition that I find and fix daily in my practice and is due to gastro-intestinal (GI) valve spasms. Let me explain a little more with a brief anatomy lesson. The GI tract, which starts at the mouth and ends at the anus (rectal region) is a continuous tube that is thirty plus feet in length. Each of the sections (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine) relate to valves made of skeletal muscle. Think of coupling two pieces of garden hose to get the length you need.

These valves are connections or couplings between sections. The location of the four valves are as follows:

  1. The first of four valves is called the cardiac sphincter, which connects the bottom of the esophagus to the top of the stomach known as the neck of the stomach. When this valve goes into spasm it commonly pushes up through the diaphragm (main breathing muscle) into esophagus territory and is typically diagnosed as a “hiatal hernia”. The reason it is named the cardiac sphincter is due to its proximity to the heart but has nothing to do with the actual heart valves.
  2. The second valve as we travel downstream is called the pyloric valve located in the pylorus or end of the stomach connecting it to the beginning of the small intestine(duodenum). Some of the readers may be familiar with an infection that is common to this region of the stomach called, H. Pylori, a discussion for another time.
  3. The third valve which connects the end of the small intestine (ilium) to the beginning of the large intestine (cecum) hence, the name ileo-cecal valve.
  4. The fourth valve has a few names (eustrum, houston, eustonian) connects the sigmoid colon to the rectum. This valve is also of considerable interest in controlling the frequency of bowel movements.

If the spasm creates a valve stuck in the open position there is usually frequent small pieces of stool but if it is stuck in the closed position, it can predispose the child to constipation which can also cause colic, not only from the closed valve but also due to stool that putrefies (spoils) in the gut. This can also happen at the beginning of the GI tract. Basically, if food that is being digested stays in any of these chambers too long it ferments (ages) which gives gas. Same as wine becoming champagne (wine with bubbles).

The third most common cause for intestinal gas is a strained, congested, or inflamed gallbladder. When this happens the bile salts (gall bladder content) do not mix properly with the fats from the milk/formula or food therefore not allowing proper breakdown of the meal.

It is of great interest to note that when gas is trapped in any area of the GI tract it feels like a sharp cutting or pinching sensation, when all it is, is air. This pain can cause considerable discomfort that will cause the baby to cry and fuss constantly.

Bottom line, only a trained professional in the healthcare field can assess the cause. Therefore, the baby needs a proper and thorough examination. No breast-feeding mother should assume that the cause is coming from what she is eating. Colic usually affects children from birth to approximately three years of age or once potty trained. The older the child gets and as the intestines mature, the less of an issue it becomes.

This is a condition that falls under the category of healthcare, not crisis care. Rarely is a medical doctor needed for treatment unless there is an underlying condition. This means that the most successful treatments are; chiropractic, kinesiology, reflexology, and homeopathy. All natural and conservative approaches.

There is no reason why parents should shy away from asking a healthcare practitioner for help. I want to stress that treatment is always best when the CAUSE of a condition is identified and treated, rather than taking “gas relieving” medicine to only give relief of SYMPTOMS (effect) for a temporary amount of time.

I hope the parents who read this article can better understand the approach to take to bring their child to comfort with proper evaluation and treatment. BTW, besides having a happy playful baby, the parents may get more rest.