Importance of gut on our body’s (physical) health is now well accepted fact. Bacteria (microbiome) in our gut can support vitamin production, hormone production, sleep and circadian rhythm, infection control, and our mental health too!

It is due to a bidirectional communication network that connects the gut and the brain. In simple terms, the gut-brain connection can be thought of as a two-way highway sending text messages back and forth between the gut and brain 24/7, 365 days out of the year.

So no wonder, gut health is important aspect of our mental health.

There have been studies that associate depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's, [and] all these central nervous system and psychiatry disorders with the gut microbiome, says Dr Razaie, MD, a California-based gastroenterologist.

Growing body of research connecting poor microbiome health to mood and cognitive disorders. Patients with various psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, for example, have been shown to have significantly different gut microbiomes than those without those conditions.

Research has also shined a light on the complex ways that eating certain foods impacts the composition of our gut microbiome, which can in turn affect our mental health.

Recent neuroscience studies have found that the biological makeup of the gut could contribute to some of the most characteristic symptoms of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). More specifically, experiments on mice suggest that the pathway between gut bacteria and the central nervous system can affect social behaviors, suggesting that gut microbiota can indeed play a role in social behaviors.

Exploratory data from another study also suggests that when middle-aged and older adults consume a pro-inflammatory diet, they are more likely to newly develop depressive symptoms and frailty at the same time rather than develop either condition alone.

Studies also confirm that certain fast foods, ultra-processed foods, foods high in added sugars and artificial sugars, and/or processed oils and alcohol can cause damage to the lining of the gut, [which can] cause more chronic and serious inflammation in the gut that has been associated with depression, anxiety, cognitive disorders, and more disease conditions.

Surprisingly, 95 percent of the serotonin (the drug given to control depression) in your body is active in your gut, not your brain. Your gut has an impressive network of nerves, and serotonin helps to control peristalsis (the wavelike muscle contractions that move food along the digestive system).

“When healthy, nutrient-dense foods get broken down during the digestive process and their byproducts interact with your gut bacteria, you get short-chain fatty acids, which are great for supporting gut health,” Dr. Uma Naidoo, MD, a Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist shares.

So eat well, for good mental health!

Well I am going to say it ‘told you so-Ayurveda has been saying that since 5000 years!’.

Ayurveda recommended not only right food for our gut but for our mind as well i.e. what thoughts, emotions we feed our mind also have impact on our mental health.

Source: https://www.wellandgood.com/gut-bacteria-and-mental-health/