Should We Trust Our Gut Feelings?
Have you ever had a ‘gut feeling’ or noticed your stomach acting up when you are nervous? Well, scientists have substantial evidence that the gut and brain are in constant communication and that our emotions and gut can greatly influence each other. We will look into this by examining the findings from the paper “Gut feelings: associations of emotions and emotion regulation with the gut microbiome in women" [1].
How Emotions Affect the Body
Studies show that more positive emotions may encourage strong gut health, while negative emotions such as depression or anxiety can lead to a decline in gut health.
However, it's not just how you feel; the paper also mentions that how we regulate our emotions can also make a difference. Two common emotion regulation styles include
· Cognitive reappraisal: Thinking about a situation in a new way to feel better about it [1].
· Suppression: Hiding or blocking an emotional reaction [1].
What is the Gut Microbiome?
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria [1]. This ecosystem is known as the gut microbiome. These microbes help digest food, support your immune system, and even make chemicals that influence brain function. The gut and brain are connected through what’s called the gut-brain axis [1]. This system means the brain and emotions can impact gut health, and gut bacteria can send signals back to influence your mood, stress levels, and more [1].
Researchers wanted to find out if people’s emotional traits and their ways of managing emotions were linked to the types of bacteria living in their guts [1].
The researchers had 206 older women who filled out surveys about their emotions and how they regulate them [1]. Each woman also provided a stool sample that was later analysed to observe what kinds of bacteria were present and what they were doing inside the gut [1].
What They Found
The results include:
· People who regularly suppressed their emotions had a lower diversity of gut bacteria [1]. A lower diversity in gut microbes is often considered a sign of poorer gut health [1].
· Those with more positive emotions had gut bacteria doing useful things like producing nutrients and chemicals that support brain health [1].
· Negative emotions were tied to gut activity related to inflammation and stress [1].
· Certain types of bacteria, like Ruminococcaceae and Firmicutes, were more common in people with negative emotions or who suppressed their feelings and less common in happier people [1].
· Suppression and negative emotions were also linked to a reduced ability to produce important compounds like vitamin B5 and adenosine, which are important for brain and nerve function [1].
This is one of the few studies to explore how not just emotional disorders, but everyday emotions and coping styles, relate to gut health [1]. In summary, this suggests
- How you handle your emotions could shape your gut microbiome [1].
- In turn, your gut microbiome could affect your emotional well-being [1].
- Healthy emotion regulation, like using reappraisal instead of suppression, may support a healthier gut [1].
Study Limitations
It’s important to note that the study had some limitations:
· Most participants were older, white women; thus, their microbiomes could differ from younger age groups and vary by culture and sex.
· Many were also taking antidepressants, which can greatly affect both mood and gut health [1].
It also should be stated that these findings do not mean that depression or anxiety are exclusively caused by poor gut health, and vice versa. It is always important to consult with a doctor about possible causes.
The Gut and Brain Connection
However, what is very clear is that there is a distinct relationship between the brain and the gut.
Your gut and your emotions are deeply connected. This research shows that feeling good and handling stress in healthy ways may help shape your gut microbiome and possibly your long-term health [1]. Thus, as research continues, we may gain a greater understanding of how our emotions can aid gut health.
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References
Reference paper “Gut feelings: associations of emotions and emotion regulation with the gut microbiome in women”