Have a Messed up Gut? It Could Spell Trouble for Your Brain

Every week, researchers learn more about the fascinating, complex—and sometimes gross—functions of the “good” bacteria that make up your microbiome. Now, new information tells us that what’s going on in your gut can actually affect how your brain works—how you think, feel, and even your likelihood of developing certain conditions like Alzheimer’s or dementia. So while a healthy gut might have a ton of benefits today, protecting it now may be one of the most important decisions you can make to safeguard your health—and your mind—for the future.

Come along as we explore the role your gut—and that of your microbiome—plays in influencing how you think, and what you can do today to rebuild and maintain optimal digestive health.

Learn how to bring holistic medicine into your daily practice, alongside like-minded women who will support you, cheer you on, and help you reach your power.

What Are Neurodegenerative Diseases?

Neurodegenerative disease is an umbrella term for conditions that result in the progressive worsening (degeneration) of the structure or function of the brain or nervous system. This is your body’s control center, and it regulates everything from your speech and movements, to your breathing and digestion. These types of diseases impair the communication from one neuron—or brain cell—to another.

Dementia is another subset of these brain issues that includes disease like:

Alzheimer’s
Parkinson’s disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob’s disease
Lewy body dementia
Vascular dementia
Posterior cortical atrophy
Normal pressure hydrocephalus

You don’t need to remember these names, but just note that there are different kinds of dementia based upon which part of the brain the disease affects.

Read: This Fat May Help Improve Your Memory

Women have a higher risk for dementia, and the reason why has to do with your hormones

Nearly 70% of Alzheimer’s diagnoses occur in women. We know that hormones influence cognitive function and emotions, and since hormones fluctuate throughout a woman’s life, this can not only change the way you think and feel, but also change your risk factors for certain health problems too (1).

Sex hormones, like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are also neuroprotective to a degree, meaning they protect nerve cells against damage associated with neurodegenerative diseases (2). A significant alteration or a drop in hormones (such as during menopause) can cause brain changes that influence mood and cognition.

Do hormones increase risk of dementia later in life?

Women are more likely to be diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. There are a few theories about why this could be.

One, is that women live longer than men, so because the possibility of displaying symptoms of dementia increases with age, the passing of time just makes it more likely.

Two, women have more white matter in their brain, which may be more susceptible to inflammation associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease (3).

Three, estrogen has a significant role in protecting a woman’s brain against dementia, and the big drop in estrogen associated with menopause might suddenly accelerate some of the Alzheimer’s-related changes in the brain (4).

Read: Is It Perimenopause or a Thyroid Problem?

Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease are the two most common neurodegenerative disorders. In 2016, an estimated 5.3 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s alone, and 67% of those diagnosed are women.

Because of this, it’s imperative that integrative and holistic medicine continues working to understand how hormones, the microbiome, and other modifiable factors are linked with changes in the brain.

Symptoms of Dementia and Neurodegenerative Disease

Symptoms of dementia or neurodegenerative diseases can appear suddenly, or take several years to progress to a point where they impact daily life. The areas of the body most affected include:

Behavior: Changes in personality, new irritability or anger, depression, anxiety, or mood swings.
Speech: Trouble finding words or completing sentences; difficulty holding a conversation.
Movement: Loss of balance, tremors, weakness.
Cognition: Memory loss, difficulty remembering names, faces, events, and constantly misplacing items.

If you, or someone you love is experiencing mood changes, memory loss, or other symptoms of Alzheimer’s, you need compassionate and knowledgeable support. Contact CentreSpringMD today to find out how integrative medicine can help you better protect and manage brain health.

Your Gut Microbiome Impacts Brain Health

Your microbiome plays a role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, making important hormones like serotonin, and helping to ward off harmful pathogens.

Hormones, immune cells, neurons, and gastrointestinal cells all interact to provide feedback amongst themselves, and to the brain (5). This means that your brain talks to your gut, and vice-versa. Within your digestive tract, there’s trillions of diverse microbes within your gut microbiome that are also a part of this communication.

Want a simple and easy way to boost gut health without having to follow a complicated protocol? Learn more about the Ayurvedic superfoods and gut-loving ingredients in Belly Fix.

How your gut talks to your brain—the vagus nerve

The vagus nerve connects your nervous system with your digestive system. Essentially, it’s the highway that allows your brain to talk to your gut and your gut to communicate with your brain. Its communication is mostly focused on hunger, fullness, and your stress response (like when you get nervous butterflies), but scientists have also shown that certain gut bacteria can impact its signaling function.

For example Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a type of probiotic and has been shown to change depressive symptoms and anxiety via the vagus nerve (5).

A leaky gut may lead to a ‘leaky brain’

Your brain has its own highly specialized immune force. These cells are called microglia, and can travel to the brain by crossing a threshold known as the blood-brain barrier.

If you have a leaky gut, you may also have a ‘leaky brain’, or a blood-brain-barrier that doesn’t function properly. A leaky gut activates an immune response, which can also send inflammation directly to the brain—or neuroinflammation (6). Brain inflammation is common in neurodegenerative diseases, as well as mental health disorders, including depression.

Gut Health & Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease disrupts the communication between neurons, leading to a loss of cell function and eventually cell death. Scientists are still working to fully understand the full scope of the factors that cause the disease, but they have found a link between Alzheimer’s, your microbiome, and gut health overall:

Your microbiome activates the immune system and increases inflammation within the brain
Decreased levels of beneficial bacteria responsible for producing protective short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) within the gut.
Certain bacteria influence the effects of genetic expression, such as the ApoE gene, which increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

These connections open new and promising pathways to the way integrative medicine approaches the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s as well as other neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.

What you can do today

Diet, stress levels, lifestyle, and dozens of other factors work to shape the type and composition of your microbiome and the health of your gut throughout your lifetime. Support focus, clarity, cognition, and continued brain health with these tips.

For a healthy gut:

Decrease inflammatory foods such as ultra-processed and refined carbohydrates, excess sugar, and preservatives.
Eat probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefi, kimchi, or other fermented vegetables, and add in prebiotic fiber from leafy greens, artichoke, garlic, and onions—just to name a few. You can also try a high-quality probiotic.

Support healthy hormone balance:

Get adequate sleep, as your brain performs crucial ‘clean-up’ tasks during rest, and it also allows for better energy and overall hormone function. If you have trouble sleeping, try these three ingredients 30 minutes before bedtime.
Manage your stress. Chronic stress is not good for your brain or hormones. I recommend yoga, journaling, meditation, or just taking micro-moments to rest and reset.

Supplement wisely:

B vitamins and magnesium help fill the gaps in nutritional deficiencies that may increase your risk of cognitive issues—especially later in life, I also like Ayurvedic actives like jujube and ashwagandha which are great for supporting a healthy mood
Turmeric has amazing anti-inflammatory properties, especially for your gut. I like to pair this with other fermented superfoods for maximum absorption, as well as collagen to soothe a leaky gut.

What to remember

It’s clear that women are at a greater risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia, and while hormones may offer some protection, this protection decreases during menopause. Additionally, gut health and the microbiome have a close relationship with brain health and cognition later in life. Supporting your gut health and hormone balance is one way to help protect your brain from disease. Are there any steps you can take to improve your hormone health? What about your gut health? Considering both of these factors when making choices for yourself will go a long way in protecting your cognitive function as you age.

Becoming the most powerful version of you is easiest when you’re among a group of supportive, like-minded women. Join the Superwoman Circle.

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