Mental health interventions are often pretty clear in their methodology – therapy to change your way of thinking or medications that alter your brain chemistry. But, what about increasing your level of gut bacteria? New research indicates it could have a benefit.

Researchers have found evidence that the bacteria in your gut, collectively known as the gut microbiome, could influence the release of stress hormones. It seems that gut bacteria go through fluctuations in their activity and compositions that impact the cycles of release of these hormones. By disrupting gut microbiomes using antibiotics, the rhythm of the release of the hormone corticosterone can be altered. The science isn’t there yet as to how this could be used beyond the lab, but the idea of microbiome-based interventions is certainly infectious. 

This new study is only one part of the story. The connection between these gut bacteria and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis, has given rise to a whole new area of research – the microbiome has been speculated to have links to anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. There is the potential for probiotics, substances that can contribute to the restoration of an imbalanced gut microbiome, to be potential components of a treatment plan for these conditions. 

"There is the potential for probiotics to be potential components of a treatment plan for these conditions"

The importance of the gut microbiome is significant as a potential driver for ‘personalised medicine’, which looks at an individual’s specific physiology and genetics to produce more effective treatments that are targeted to their specific biology. The gut microbiome could fit into this, as it is one of many key components that could be analysed to produce this form of holistic medical treatment that is specific to the individual. By looking at the composition of gut bacteria, imbalances with potential health consequences could be identified and targeted.

However, the gut-brain axis could have consequences not just for these mental health conditions, but also for our wider understanding of our biology. In fact, the science underpinning the gut-brain axis is far from new; Pavlov’s infamous Nobel prize-winning experiments of classical conditioning underpinned this idea. Pavlov induced dogs to release gastric and pancreatic signals in response to a stimulus they associated with food, demonstrating a clear connection between the gut and the brain. 

"The gut is a complex control system in itself that is not as much controlled by the brain as works alongside it"

Our modern understanding of this connection is now a two-way street. The brain and gut communicate with each other through what is known as the enteric nervous system. This system is unique in that it can operate autonomously from the central nervous system, and for that reason has been described as a ‘second brain’. The gut is consequently a complex control system in itself that is not as much controlled by the brain as works alongside it.  

So, does a healthy gut mean a healthy mind? Not quite. Our bodies are much more complex than that, and it seems unlikely that gut bacteria will be the sole solution to the mental health crisis. However, the gut-brain story is certainly crucial in showing us that connections can be found in the strangest of places, and that a holistic view of mental health and how we treat it (and maybe some sourdough) should be on the table.

Anyway, I’m off to drink some kombucha. 

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