There are a number of pathways linking the gut microbiota and the CNS/central nervous system: the vagus nerve, the circulatory system and the immune system. The gut microbiota have a direct impact on anxiety and depression via these pathways.
The 2015 paper referenced in the above slide is: Control of brain development, function, and behavior by the microbiome
More recently, studies have suggested that gut bacteria can impact neurological outcomes–altering behavior and potentially affecting the onset and/or severity of nervous system disorders. In this review, we highlight emerging evidence that the microbiome extends its influence to the brain via various pathways connecting the gut to the central nervous system. While understanding and appreciation of a gut microbial impact on neurological function is nascent, unraveling gut-microbiome-brain connections holds the promise of transforming the neurosciences and revealing potentially novel etiologies for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.
This slide and study was part of Professor Karsten Kristiansen’s keynote presentation at The Society for Mental Health Research conference in Sydney last month: “A gut feeling – the gut microbiome in health, diseases and behavior.” I had the pleasure of attending and meeting Professor Kristiansen. He gave me permission to share some of the highlights which you can watch in the video below.
Professor Felice Jacka, nutritional psychiatry researcher and founder of ISNPR introduced him and his presentation on the gut-brain connection.
It was really wonderful to finally Professor Felice Jacka in person. I have been following her research work since her first food mood study in 2010: Association of Western and traditional diets with depression and anxiety in women. You may recall our wonderful interview on The Anxiety Summit: The Research – Food to prevent and treat anxiety and depression?
Here are 2 position statements on nutritional psychiatry from ISNPR:
- Nutritional medicine in modern psychiatry: position statement by ISNPR
- Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry
It was also wonderful to see Felice’s name on so many of the microbiome and mood-diet posters that were presented at the conference!
We appreciate Professor Kristiansen, Professor Felice Jacka and all the research work they and their teams of researchers do!
Hi Trudy,
This is my first ever blog post so please forgive me if I haven’t posted this question in the right place 🙂
There is so much information on your website I am feeling a little lost as to where to start.
I have suffered from depression since I was around 12 (now in mid 30’s) and more recently (last 3 years) anxiety as a result of a traumatic event.
I was put on effexor 75mg in 2004 and stayed on it for around 5 years, came off and then was put back on after the traumatic incident. I came off again over a year ago but unfortunately life has become very difficult and I find the depression and anxiety becoming quite overwhelming once again.
I would love to move forward using more natural based remedies and wondered where you would recommend starting from?
I understand that anxiety and depression are linked very closely together and so don’t know which I should attempt to treat first?
Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated!
Sincerely,
Alexis
Hi Alexis
I’m sorry to hear all this. There is a lot here isn’t there!? And I’m sure it can feel overwhelming coming to the blog new to all this.
I’m assuming everyone has read my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” which covers all the basics (here on Amazon http://amzn.to/2jo0ka2): eat real food, eat to control blood sugar, no gluten, no caffeine, no sugar, address gut and adrenal health and nutritional deficiencies AND use amino acids for immediate relief while you are figuring all this out. Here is a good amino acids blog for starting out https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/anxiety-amino-acids-overview/ Once you’ve read the book then come back to the blog and you’ll find additional information that I’ve learned since the book was published. I share all the new blogs via my newsletter too.
About this part of the question: “I understand that anxiety and depression are linked very closely together and so don’t know which I should attempt to treat first?” – you’ll discover that this nutritional/brain chemical approach helps both
Hope this helps! Your question has prompted me to create a start here section and blog for newbies – so thank you! Someone else asked a similar question just last week so you’re not the only one who feels like this. I’m sorry – the last thing you need is more overwhelm and worry.
In future feel free to search the blog for a topic and then post under that one. But posting here is fine – I see all new comments.
Trudy,
I tested positive for Sibo and was wondering if I need to take the non absorbing antibiotics given by my Gastrointerologist who thought I was nuts when I brought in the results for the test. He said I guess you should take something for that and prescribe a 1000.00 antibiotic. I’m afraid to take it because antibiotics wreak havoc on the microbiome, but these being nonabsorbing I thought you could address this question. BTW I started the gaps diet for the reflux I’m feeling soon after I eat. Also Dr want my gallbladder removed due to low function, 11% back in 2009. Not sure on that surgery either? Thank you. Mjj
Hi Mjj
I would find a doctor who has had success treating SIBO as it can be complicated. That being said Rifaxamin is an antibiotic that is often prescribed for SIBO (even by naturopaths) and is less of an issue and has good results for some people. I would still use dietary approaches like GAPS and and low FODMAPs too. And pick herbal SIBO protocols first.
I would also question gallbladder removal unless it was a life or death situation. I assume you had a HIDA/ Hepatobiliary Imino Diacetic Acid scan. Check out “The New Fat Flush Plan” and this blog on improving bile production https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/new-fat-flush-plan-book-poor-bile-production-anxiety/ It seems low bile production and SIBO are connected so addressing both at the same time would likely help both issues. Also watch the higher fat in the GAPs diet – I’m a fan of this diet but with low bile production fat digestion can be challenging so I have my clients go slow.
I assume you are gluten-free now – reflux is is a common symptom of gluten issues.
Hi Trudy,
I had paranoid symptoms started after taking tamiflu. it is still going on and I m trying to treat it naturally. Can you tell me what should I take that can help. I noticed vitamin d and probiotic increase my energy but also increase anxiety. Any guide to treat paranoid symptoms will help. Thanks in advanced. I could not work since this symptoms started. I eat healthy and use only natural supplements. inositol and l theanine help with anxiety but cause me fatigue so could not take it.
I’m sorry to hear this. There are a number of published papers on tamiflu and psychiatric side-effects.
Here is one “Epidemiological studies performed in Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom indicate that oseltamivir [tamiflu] may cause psychiatric symptoms; however, the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. Here, we report a case of a 22-year-old male who complained of mood swings, suicidal feelings, auditory hallucinations, memory deterioration, and insomnia after taking oseltamivir.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26243850
It seems they don’t know the underlying mechanism. with the above symptoms I would consider low serotonin and low vitamin B3 may be factors, and also look into zinc and magnesium.
I am a PMHNP that was in attendance at the 2016 IMMH conference. I work inpatient and treat many women for anxiety/depression who have history of gastric bypass. Would you please send me references or info on where I can find information to enable me to better help that special population who now have absorption and nutritional difficulties. Thank you.
Brenda
Brenda
I don’t yet have a blog post on this topic but as you’ve alluded to it’s a very real problem. Can you share a bit more about what you’re looking for and what approaches you currently use to assess their nutritional deficiencies? And what you find to be most common? And how you address their anxiety and depression? Have you found that they had anxiety/depression before their gastric bypass surgery?
Trudy,
Of those I have seen with h/o gastric bypass, the surgery was often many years ago and none of them are currently taking any supplements of any kind. They all initially took vitamin/mineral supplements right after the surgery, but stopped at some point. I want to be able to provide patients with a vit/mineral reference sheet of some quality brands ( as you know, all aren’t created equal) but I have not been able to take the time to research it fully yet. Some people also have very limited income, so I wanted to have options for them as well as far as price. But for gastric bypass specifically, I don’t know which brands would be absorbed better– also sublingual vs tablet, etc.
I work conventional inpatient psychiatric unit, lab wise I’m only checking Vit B12 and Vit D levels. I find B12 is mostly at low end of normal but Vit D is always quite low! If there are other labs I should be checking, please let me know.
I do not see the patient everyday, as patients are rotated among providers. 98% of time all of our inpatients are started/continued on some type of psychotropic medication. I personally discuss diet, suggest elimination diet trials, talk about importance of vit/mineral supp., and I give them ALL information on your book and suggest they get it (Hopefully you’re getting some increased sales from Georgia 🙂
In regards to whether they had anx/dep before the gastric bypass, I find most of them had some symptoms, but never severe enough to require inpatient admission, which is where they have ended up.
Brenda
Thanks for sharing this with me here and for recommending my book!
This is what is in the research literature post bariatric surgery:
• SSRIs and other medications – different and inconsistent responses are seen
• Bone loss is common
• Nutrient deficiencies include Vitamin D, calcium, zinc, B12, Iron, Copper, vitamin C, Selenium, vitamin B1 (many of which are important for anxiety and depression)
– Fat malabsorption
The research shows mixed results on mood:
o Some studies show improvement in mood but also increased depression in some cases
o Presurgery anxiety and depression remained the same (i.e. root causes not addressed – like low serotonin and low GABA and low catecholamines)
o Anxiety is common pre-surgery
Other points of interest post surgery:
– Increased alcohol issues
– Increased suicides
– Oxalate issues affect more than 50% of those who have had bypass surgery
Keep in mind that brain chemical deficiencies (low GABA, low serotonin, low catecholamines, low endorphins) and low blood sugar impact both mood AND cravings/addictions so I see targeted amino acid therapy to be key to address both. Are you recommending the amino acids too?
In an ideal world we would address these brain chemical imbalances BEFORE surgery so it’s not needed in the first place!
Regarding quality brands I use various professional grade companies and I learned about products by attending the trainings/webinars they offer. Teaming up with a nutritionist or functional medicine doctor who specializes in this population may be worth considering.
One more thing – I will be doing amino acid training for health professionals via The Anxiety Nutrition Institute http://www.anxietynutritioninstitute.com/ and this would consolidate your expertise in using the targeted amino acids. You can register interest via this link.
After the amino acid training I’ll be offering various modules on gut health and anxiety, medications and anxiety, gluten and anxiety etc. I don’t have plans for a module for this bariatric surgery population but if there is enough demand and interest I’d be more than happy to consider it in the future.