Factors That Affect The Gut-Brain Axis

Introduction

The gut system is home to trillions of beneficial bacteria that helps biotransformed food into nutrients for the body to function correctly. The gut is also in constant communication with the brain as the neuron signals are in a bi-directional wavelength that helps move the nutrients to their designated areas in the body. These designated areas help the body as well, as they have their own set of instructions to work correctly while the body is in motion. When gut disorders like metainflammation start to disrupt the signals going back and forth between the brain and gut, it can cause various issues that can cause the body to become dysfunctional and progress into chronic inflammation. Today’s article discusses what metainflammation does to the gut-brain axis and how inflammasomes play their role in the gut-liver axis in the body. Referring patients to qualified, skilled providers who specialize in gastroenterology treatments. We provide guidance to our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is critical for asking insightful questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer

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Metainflammation Affecting The Gut-Brain Axis

Have you been noticing an increase in food allergies or intolerances affecting you? How about feeling digestive problems rise on multiple occasions? Many of these symptoms are due to gut disorders like metainflammation, which can also affect the gut-brain axis in the body. Research studies have mentioned that the nervous system directly influences the gut through endocrine mediators interacting with microbial receptors. When metainflammation begins to affect the gut, it becomes the result of various gut dysbiosis like:

• Increased sleep and mood disturbances
• Fatigue
• Decreased performance and exercise ability
• Nutrient deficiencies – vitamin D, B vitamins
• Thyroid imbalance

Other research studies have shown that since inflammation is a common factor for various disorders affecting the body, it can do much damage when the inflammatory cytokines affect the gut-brain axis and the immune system. Meta inflammation causes a decrease in intestinal absorption and contractility, but it can also increase the defective tight junctions and intestinal permeability. This causes gut issues like Crohn’s and celiac disease to rise, causing increased insulin and immune dysregulation and brain issues like sleep, cognition, mood disturbances, anxiety, and psychiatric disorders.

An Overview On The Gut-Brain-Axis-Video

Have you been experiencing weight gain around your mid section? How about an increase in memory and cognitive decline? Have you felt a rise in chronic inflammation or immune problems? All these symptoms are signs that you could be experiencing metainflammation that affects the gut-brain axis in your body. The video above explains the gut-brain axis and how neurodevelopment disorders can affect the brain. Research studies have found that a mixture of dysbiosis and inflammation affects the gut, and it can cause the brain to be linked to many neurological disorders. With the bi-directional connection that the brain and gut have, many factors are constantly challenging both microbiomes that can progress inflammatory markers to rise in the body.

What Are Inflammasomes?

Inflammasomes are a family of proteins in charge of initiating the inflammatory process during the innate immune response. Inflammasomes are defensive microbes that cause inflammatory effects against infections and can even affect the gut-liver axis in the body if it turns chronic. What inflammasomes does is that they help pattern recognition receptors to know when the body is feeling stressed or in danger, as they are significant actors in the metaflammation construct. Research studies have shown that inflammasomes in the body can help secrete toxins into the invading microbes causing gut disorders.

How Does Inflammasome Affect The Gut-Liver Axis?

The gut-liver axis is connected with the intestines via bile acid metabolism. Bile acid dysregulation can lead to intestinal dysbiosis, which allows the gram-negative erogenous pathogenic bacteria and LPS to enter the liver. When this happens, it triggers hepatic inflammation via inflammasomes. Research studies have shown that chronic inflammation affecting the gut-liver axis can cause the inflammasomes to affect the epithelial wall integrity and even induce pro-inflammatory cytokine production, causing more issues in the body. In contrast, the NLRP3 inflammasome primarily induces IL‐1beta by causing bile acids to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages. This induces bacterial translocation to allow pathogens, i.e., Bacteroidetes (Gram‐negative bacteria) and LPS, into the liver.

Conclusion

Overall, the gut-brain axis allows bi-directional communication to the entire body as the gut help regulates the metabolic function of the body. At the same time, the brain controls the signals and processes that the body encounters. When chronic issues like metainflammation or chronic inflammasomes begin to affect the gut, it can disrupt the bidirectional communication to the brain, causing the body to become dysfunctional. Incorporating small changes to confident life choices like adding supplements and nutraceuticals to dampen inflammation, eating healthier, and exercising can help relieve the gut. When many individuals make these small changes in their health and wellness journey, they can feel themselves have more energy, feel less inflammation affecting their gut, and move around more.

References

Clapp, Megan, et al. “Gut Microbiota’s Effect on Mental Health: The Gut-Brain Axis.” Clinics and Practice, PAGEPress Scientific Publications, Pavia, Italy, 15 Sept. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/.

de Zoete, Marcel R, et al. “Inflammasomes.” Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 16 Oct. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4292152/.

Herradon, Gonzalo, et al. “Connecting Metainflammation and Neuroinflammation through the PTN-Mk-Rptpβ/ζ Axis: Relevance in Therapeutic Development.” Frontiers in Pharmacology, Frontiers Media S.A., 12 Apr. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6474308/.

Osadchiy, Vadim, et al. “The Gut-Brain Axis and the Microbiome: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications.” Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology : the Official Clinical Practice Journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6999848/.

Wang, Junfeng, et al. “Roles of the Inflammasome in the Gut‑Liver Axis (Review).” Molecular Medicine Reports, D.A. Spandidos, Jan. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6297761/.

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