The Gut Brain Axis and What it Means for You

 6 mins 30 secs

Topics

  • Gut-Brain

The gut-brain axis is the reason why phrases like having a “gut reaction” or a “gut-wrenching feeling” are not just figures of speech — they are real, physiological processes backed by science.1

The gut-brain axis is a complex communication network involving the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and the gut microbiota. This connection influences digestion, emotions, cognition, and overall mental well-being. Research shows that an imbalance in gut bacteria can contribute to conditions like anxiety, depression, and irritable bowel syndrome, highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy gut for optimal brain function.

The science behind the gut-brain axis suggests our gut and brain are always in close communication. So, what does this mean for your physical and mental health? And what can you do to “balance” your gut-brain axis and stay healthy? Read on to find out.

What is the Gut-Brain Axis?

The gut-brain axis is the two-way communication between your gut and brain2. It is how your brain “knows” that you are hungry, how your stomach “tells” your brain that it is full, and how your body “knows” to relax and digest the food once you’ve eaten.

But, the gut-brain axis goes beyond digestion. This two-way street between the gut and the brain is also why you may get butterflies in your stomach when you’re nervous, why you feel like your stomach is in knots before an important presentation, and even, for some people, why you may feel the need to poop when frightened1. The thoughts and feelings processed in your brain can also impact the activity of your gut1, 2.

What Does the Gut-Brain Axis Do?

The gut-brain axis helps govern numerous aspects of human health, including2:

  • Gastrointestinal motility, i.e., controlling everything that happens with food in your body from the moment you put it in your mouth
  • Digestion
  • Metabolism
  • Energy balance (homeostasis)
  • Immunity and protecting the intestines from harmful bacteria
  • Stress regulation

Emerging evidence suggests that the gut-brain axis also plays a key role in:

  • Emotional regulation1, 2
  • Cognition and brain development6
  • Mental health2

How Does the Gut-Brain Axis Work?

The gut and the brain are of course, connected anatomically or physically. However, they are also connected through several complex systems and biochemical pathways comprising the gut-brain axis. So let’s break them down.

The gut-brain axis communicates bidirectionally, meaning signals travel between the brain and the gut. This connection is facilitated through the vagus nerve, hormones, and neurotransmitters such as serotonin—remarkably, about 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut. Also, gut microbes are crucial in producing metabolites that can influence brain function and mood.

Through these complex networks of nerves, neurons, glands, and biochemical pathways, the brain can influence clinical and metabolic responses occurring in your gut, and the gut can affect your mood, cognition, and mental health.2.

The Gut-Brain Axis and the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve is key in the communitcating between the gut microbiota and the brain5. It communicates information from the emotional and cognitive centers in the brain to the intestines and the gut-brain connection and vice versa.

In the intestines, it regulates the contraction of muscles and the secretion of glands. Overall, the vagus nerve is responsible for governing several processes, including3:

  • Digestion
  • Heart rate
  • Breathing rate
  • Swallowing
  • Vomiting
     

The connection also goes both ways. Not only does our gut microbiota influence our mood, but intense emotions can also affect our gut health.

How Does Stress Affect the Gut-Brain Axis?

There are several ways in which stress can affect the gut-brain axis.

For example, in response to intense stress, many people experience4:

  • Diarrhea

  • Problems digesting and emptying the stomach

  • Increased contractions of the colon

  • Higher sensitivity to the movement and function of intestines, leading to abdominal pain and other digestive symptoms such as heartburn

The mechanisms behind these links are complex. For example, intense fear or stress can affect how much blood flows to your stomach and the contractions of your intestines1. Hormones and neurotransmitters contribute to this — fear causes the release of norepinephrine and cortisol, which help your body enter “fight-or-flight” mode1. Being in this mode, normally reserved for when you’re in a very dangerous situation, can disrupt gastrointestinal processes4.
 

Belly Problems Due to Psychological Stress

Psychological stress may cause the following stomach problems7:

  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  • Peptic ulcer
  • Indigestion that keeps recurring (functional dyspepsia)
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Other gastrointestinal issues with no apparent cause (functional disorders)
     

Stress may cause these illnesses by disrupting the gut-brain axis. For example, the link between the gut-brain axis, IBS, and anxiety is well-established. A disrupted gut-brain axis can7:

  • Make the intestines more vulnerable to germs and harmful bacteria
  • Increase the production of pro-inflammatory proteins
  • Reduce blood flow to the stomach’s mucosa (lining), which makes it more vulnerable to ulcerations, perforations, and excessive acid8.
  • It makes you more sensitive to intestinal pain

Find out more about “How stress & anxiety can affect your gut health

How To Balance Your Gut-Brain Axis

Our bellies might be use the gut-brain axis to tell us when we haven’t fully processed (or… digested) certain emotions. But by “balancing” our gut-brain axis, we can untie the knot in our stomach and resume our daily life.

Gut-brain axis treatment options, such as stress management techniques, medication, and psychological and behavioral therapies, can help restore this balance. Certain foods that support gut and mental health may also help.
 

Stress management techniques and psychological therapy

Unsurprisingly, managing stress levels can improve stress-related stomach problems. You can try the following stress management techniques3:

  • Relaxation therapy
  • Meditation
     

Medications: Antispasmodics

Antispasmodics and smooth muscle relaxants can help with the temporary relief of abdominal pain.
 

Buscopan for Cramps

Instead of masking the pain, as a simple painkiller might do, Hyoscine-n-butylbromide (Buscopan®) targets the root cause of pain7. It uses the active ingredient hyoscine-n- butylbromide, which is an antispasmodic9. The dual action is for Hysocine n-butlybromide + Paracetamol (Buscopan® Venus) and (Buscopan® Plus): it relaxes the abdominal cramps by relaxing the abdominal muscles and relieves the pain. Buscopan® is effective, safe, and quick-acting: it starts working within minutes and has very few and rare side effects7.
 

Peppermint oil (Buscomint)

Peppermint oil is an established smooth muscle relaxant that acts directly on the stomach muscles9. Buscomint uses this 100% natural active ingredient to relieve your 3 symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Cramps
  • Bloating

What Foods Help the Gut-Brain Axis? The Role of Pre- and Probiotics

Diet has a profound effect on the gut microbiome. Eating more fruits and vegetables, fewer refined carbohydrates, and little to no red meat can help keep the gut healthy11.

In addition, prebiotic and probiotic foods are key for a healthy gut. Prebiotics help feed your microbiota, and probiotics contain live bacteria that can benefit your gut13.

Gut-brain axis treatment strategies may also include dietary interventions, especially those that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria through nutrition.

Prebiotic foods include12:

  • Asparagus
  • Sugar beet
  • Garlic and onion
  • Chicory
  • Jerusalem artichoke
  • Wheat products
  • Seaweed and algae
     

Probiotic foods include13:

  • Yogurt and kefir
  • Cheese
  • Kombucha
  • Miso soup
  • Tempeh
  • Kimchi
  • Sauerkraut
     

There is also emerging research that pre- and probiotics taken as supplements might help treat anxiety and stress-related belly problems7.

Conclusion

The gut-brain axis is a vital communication network linking the gut and brain through the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Research shows that gut microbiota can influence mood, cognition, digestion, and immune responses, while mental health issues and stress can, in turn, affect gut function. This dynamic relationship highlights the need to view physical and psychological health as interconnected.

Maintaining a balanced gut-brain axis involves stress management, a diet rich in prebiotics and probiotics, and, in some cases, medication or psychological therapies. These strategies can support digestion, reduce inflammation, and enhance mental clarity. As scientific understanding grows, innovative treatments like microbiota-based therapies may offer promising solutions for digestive and neurological conditions.

Don’t let belly pain hold you back.

Learn to help your belly

Find your Hyoscine N-butylbromide (Buscopan®)