Research shows your gut bacteria influence the way you handle stress, and could be used to personalize mental health treatment
Healthy bacteria in your gut could be the key to tackling stress, a study suggests.
Researchers in California looked at more than 100 adults without mental health problems and conducted surveys about their mental health and resilience.
They were then divided into two groups: high and low resilience. Each participant also underwent MRI scans and provided stool samples.
The team found that the high resilience group had less inflammation and a stronger intestinal barrier than those who were less resilient. A strong barrier is essential for absorbing nutrients and blocking toxins from the intestines.
They didn’t look at patients with mental illnesses.
The relationship is based on direct communication between the brain and the digestive system. An example of this is that the intestine sends hunger or satiety signals to the brain.
The researchers said these findings could lead to treatments that could use gut bacteria to personalize mental health care.
Researchers at UCLA’s Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center suggested that more resilient people have stronger gut barriers and microbiomes
Dr. Arpana Gupta, senior study author and co-director of the UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, said: ‘If we can identify what a healthy, resilient brain and microbiome looks like, we can develop targeted interventions in those areas to reduce stress. ‘
The UCLA team evaluated 116 adults who had not been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
About 61 percent of the participants were female, while the rest were male.
The majority of participants in both groups were white, followed closely by Asian adults. The average BMI was about 28, which is classified as overweight.
All participants underwent MRI scans and provided stool samples with at-home kits two to three days before the test.
And the week before, they filled out detailed questionnaires about their diet.
In a self-reported survey, participants answered questions about their resilience on a scale from zero (not true at all) to 4 (almost always true).
The total score consisted of seven factors: personal competence; high standards and tenacity; trusting one’s instincts; tolerance for negative outcomes and stress; accepting change and securing relationships; check; and spiritual influence.
Higher scores meant greater resilience, meaning they were better able to handle stress and respond to setbacks.
The researchers found that those in the high resilience group were less anxious and depressed, less likely to judge, and better at regulating their emotions than those who were less resilient.
Additionally, this group had healthier microbiomes, the network of bacteria, parasites and fungi that regulates digestive health, the immune system, hormones and the nervous system.
The researchers said these participants secreted chemicals linked to lower inflammation and stronger gut barriers compared to those with less resilience.
The study adds to a mountain of recent research on the gut-brain connection, which affects hunger, satiety, food cravings, digestion, metabolism, stress and immunity, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“Resilience is truly a whole-body phenomenon that affects not only your brain, but also your microbiome and the metabolites it produces,” said Dr. Gupta.
Dr. Desiree Delgadillo, study author and postdoctoral researcher at UCLA, added: ‘We have a whole community of microbes in our gut that radiate these therapeutic properties and biochemicals, so I look forward to building on this research. ‘
However, there were several limitations. The researchers noted that future studies should also include participants with mental health conditions such as depression and PTSD, and that overall, more research is needed to confirm the findings.
The research was published last week in Nature mental health.