Not in the Mind, but in the Stomach: How to Improve Mood through the Gut?

Today, depression, low spirits, and a bad mood are common companions of people living in a hectic pace. People visit psychologists, take antidepressants prescribed by psychiatrists, but often overlook the most obvious cause of a poor mood — improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This is a mistake, as mental health is often closely tied to a person’s physical health¹.

It might come as a surprise to some, but the main actor in the brain-GIT axis is the gut microbiota². It is thanks to this microbiota that our mood can be good or bad.

Let’s delve into how this works

The gastrointestinal tract, also known as the "second brain," contains millions of nerve cells called enteric neurons. These cells are responsible for digestive processes and, oddly enough, form a kind of nervous system within the stomach and intestines known as the enteric nervous system.

This nervous system has more neurons than the spinal cord. It can control digestion independently of the main nervous system centered in the brain.

It’s within these enteric neurons that a large portion of serotonin, also known as the "happiness hormone," is produced³. This hormone acts as an important neurotransmitter that significantly affects our mental and emotional state. Additionally, about 50% of dopamine is produced in the GIT before it enters the nervous system.
But it’s not all that simple!

The connection between the gastrointestinal tract and a person’s mood is bidirectional. In other words, not only can the GIT influence serotonin levels, but serotonin can also easily influence the function of the gastrointestinal tract. A deficiency in serotonin or other hormones can lead to poor gut function, disrupted microbial balance, and the creation of a vicious cycle⁴.

The outcome is predictable: an increased likelihood of developing gastric ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, and other GIT disorders.

This bidirectional link underscores the importance of maintaining gut health for overall physical and emotional well-being.

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How to Impact the Gut for Mood Improvement

Now that the connection between the state of the gastrointestinal tract and a person’s mood is evident, a reasonable question arises: how can we improve GIT function? It’s worth adhering to the following simple recommendations:

Maintain regular eating patterns to prevent unnecessary stress on the nervous system and habitual calorie storage.
Consume a balanced diet to ensure an adequate intake of vitamins, micronutrients, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Learn to manage stress, minimizing its impact on your nervous system.
Establish a sleep and wake routine, as disrupted rhythms negatively affect the nervous system, which in turn affects GIT function.
Manage existing gastrointestinal disorders under medical supervision.
Normalize physical activity, for instance, by performing simple exercises or incorporating daily walks.
Use various vitamin complexes and supplements to replenish any deficiencies.

Important!

Gastroenterologist Yana Prudnikova notes that during GIT disorders, certain vitamin levels decrease in the body, inevitably leading to disruptions in the nervous system and decreased mood, potentially leading to depression.

Thanks to modern research, we are learning more about the crucial link between the gastrointestinal tract and serotonin. Maintaining gut health becomes an integral part of supporting our overall physical and emotional well-being.

¹The gastrointestinal tract microbiome, probiotics, and mood, Inﬂammopharmacology, 2014
²Serotonin, tryptophan metabolism and the brain-gut-microbiome axis, 2015
³What Is Serotonin?, 2022
⁴Gut bacteria help regulate serotonin levels, 2015