The brain, located in the central nervous system (CNS), has long been considered the source of our cognition and the ‘control center’ of our body, coordinating all organs to function and making the important decisions in our life.
But what if it’s not all just the brain that’s doing the work?
The gut, also known as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, is composed of the major organs of the digestive system, such as the stomach and the intestines.
The gut was considered to be solely responsible for the digestion of our food and absorbing the nutrients we get from them.
But what if there’s more to your gut?
Called the 'Second Brain' - having the second largest number of neurons besides our brain, our gut is connected to the brain via the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). This is why we have “butterflies” in our stomach when we are nervous.
Unfortunately, gut issues such as constipation impact people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on a daily basis. Low amounts of good bacteria have contributed to dopamine and serotonin imbalances, and unwanted symptoms. Patients with severe, later stages of PD may develop motor symptoms such as tremors and slowness of movements (bradykinesia).
Interestingly, research shows that treating the gut with Neurobiotics can help balance neurotransmitters such as dopamine, significantly improving the quality of life of those with PD.
“Happier Gut, Healthier Mind.”
The Gut-Brain Axis (GBA) is the bi-directional (two-way) pathway between the brain and the gut. The GBA lets your central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of your brain and spine, “talk” with your gut. What connects the two is a long cranial nerve known as the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is part of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which operates internal organs such as the smooth muscles found on the intestinal lining.
The gut includes human cells such as the enteric nervous system (ENS, with an estimated 200-600 million neurons!), as well as the trillions of bacterial and yeast cells of that make up your gut microbiome.
Simply put, the brain (CNS) and the gut (ENS) communicate bidirectionally via the vagus nerve (ANS) through various nerve signals, immune molecules, and other small molecules. Read the next section to learn more about the gut microbiome and gut dysbiosis.
Called the 'Second Brain' - having the second largest number of neurons besides our brain, our gut is connected to the brain via the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). This is why we have “butterflies” in our stomach when we are nervous.
Unfortunately, gut issues such as constipation impact people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on a daily basis. Low amounts of good bacteria have contributed to dopamine and serotonin imbalances, and unwanted symptoms. Patients with severe, later stages of PD may develop motor symptoms such as tremors and slowness of movements (bradykinesia).
Interestingly, research shows that treating the gut with Neurobiotics can help balance neurotransmitters such as dopamine, significantly improving the quality of life of those with PD.
Imagine a diverse ecosystem - a swampland with aquatic plants and animals such as fish, crocodiles and herons; an African savannah with remarkable animals such as lions, zebras, and giraffes; a rainforest canopy with large trees and various species of monkeys and birds making a symphony of calls. All species play a role in balancing the ecosystem, and the loss of certain species would result in the ecosystem being unable to sustain itself.
Called the 'Second Brain' - having the second largest number of neurons besides our brain, our gut is connected to the brain via the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). This is why we have “butterflies” in our stomach when we are nervous.
Unfortunately, gut issues such as constipation impact people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on a daily basis. Low amounts of good bacteria have contributed to dopamine and serotonin imbalances, and unwanted symptoms. Patients with severe, later stages of PD may develop motor symptoms such as tremors and slowness of movements (bradykinesia).
Interestingly, research shows that treating the gut with Neurobiotics can help balance neurotransmitters such as dopamine, significantly improving the quality of life of those with PD.
Called the 'Second Brain' - having the second largest number of neurons besides our brain, our gut is connected to the brain via the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). This is why we have “butterflies” in our stomach when we are nervous.
Unfortunately, gut issues such as constipation impact people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on a daily basis. Low amounts of good bacteria have contributed to dopamine and serotonin imbalances, and unwanted symptoms. Patients with severe, later stages of PD may develop motor symptoms such as tremors and slowness of movements (bradykinesia).
Interestingly, research shows that treating the gut with Neurobiotics can help balance neurotransmitters such as dopamine, significantly improving the quality of life of those with PD.
But did you know, there is a diverse ecosystem in your gut?
Introducing the gut microbiome. As its name suggests, it is a tiny version of the various natural ecosystems you have imagined - located in your gut! Your gut microbiome includes trillions of microbes composed of hundreds of species - good bacteria, bad bacteria.
Just like these ecosystems, the loss of certain species of bacteria would result in the imbalance of your gut microbiome - this is called gut dysbiosis.
Gut dysbiosis may in turn lead to gut issues such as increased membrane permeability (also known as ‘leaky gut’) or overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, the loss of beneficial bacteria may mean decreased production of neurotransmitters, hormones, fatty acids, and other metabolites that the gut communicates with the brain.
You may know that these would result in disorders such as constipation or irritable bowel disease. What you may not know is that chronic gut dysbiosis maay result in various neurological disorders - disorders that manifest via the gut-brain axis.
Interestingly, there are certain strains of beneficial bacteria, known as probiotics, that are neurologically active. Clinical evidence suggest that ingesting an appropriate amount of these probiotics may improve gut dysbiosis and address neurological disorders via the gut-brain axis.
The idea of our microbiome influencing our brain and behavior has been proven in animal studies.
A study by Sherwin et al. showed that germ-free (GF) mice transplanted with donor microbiome from depressed patients developed depressive-like symtpoms, while microbiota from healthy donors did not [1].
Another study published in the journal Cell showed the transplantation of microbiota from donors with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and microbiota from neurotypical donors in GF mice resulted in mice with ASD symptoms and typical-behaving mice respectively [2].
These revolutionary studies showcase the undisputable link between the gut microbiome and neurological disorder manifestation.
Neurological disorders such as ASD or PD often show imbalance in the GBA. These can include signs such as decrease neurotransmitter (serotonin, dopamine) production, gut dysbiosis, and elevated levels of neuroinflammation. Learn more about the GBA’s role in neurological disorders by clicking on the four disorders introduced below.
In individuals with ASD, studies have indicated abnormal immune responses and heightened levels of pro-inflammatory markers in the brain. These findings suggest that neuroinflammation might play a role in the pathophysiology of ASD.
Individuals with ADHD may experience varying levels of gut issues, such as chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. These may result in various comorbidities, such as changes in sleep patterns and irritable bowelsyndrome (IBS).
Gut issues such as constipation impact people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on a daily basis. Low amounts of good bacteria have contributed to dopamine and serotonin imbalances, and unwanted symptoms.
Psychiatric patients diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) often suffer from a form of low-grade chronic inflammation which includes both the brain and the gut. These form a critical role between gut dysbiosis, stress, and depressive symptoms.
“A healthy gut can help bring one’s mind, mood, and movement back into balance.”
The Neurobiotic - Lactobacillus plantarum PS128™
The Neurobiotic - Lactobacillus plantarum PS128™
Probiotics are live microorganisms, which can tip the balance of the gut microbiome, and are known for providing health benefits. But neurobiotics like the L. plantarum PS128 strain go further - providing benefits for those with Parkinson's disease, Autism, ADHD, and Depression.
“Unlike pharmaceuticals merely overpowering our bodies’ functions, the fermented food-derived PS128 gently works with our microbiome.”
Called the 'Second Brain' - having the second largest number of neurons besides our brain, our gut is connected to the brain via the Gut-Brain Axis (GBA). This is why we have “butterflies” in our stomach when we are nervous.
Unfortunately, gut issues such as constipation impact people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on a daily basis. Low amounts of good bacteria have contributed to dopamine and serotonin imbalances, and unwanted symptoms. Patients with severe, later stages of PD may develop motor symptoms such as tremors and slowness of movements (bradykinesia).
Interestingly, research shows that treating the gut with Neurobiotics can help balance neurotransmitters such as dopamine, significantly improving the quality of life of those with PD.
Derived from the Latin root “benedicere”, which means “blessed” or “full of blessings”, the Bened Life team comes from all walks of life, united by a common mission to advance science, improve health, and build a sensory inclusive world. And KultureCity, an NGO for neurodiverse people, has been a partner for our dream.
Bened Life is dedicated to promoting neurological and mental health with pharma-grade brain probiotics, backed by over 30 years of research experience, and clinical studies. With Neuralli MP, we are making meaningful impact on individuals and families globally.
“Let’s have a world where one can thrive regardless of how one perceives the world -
a world where we all can all truly live a bened life.”
Post by Bened Life - 04 / Oct
[1] Sherwin, E., Dinan, T. G., & Cryan, J. F. (2018). Recent developments in understanding the role of the gut microbiota in brain health and disease. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1420(1), 5-25. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13416
[2] Sharon, G., et al. (2019). Human Gut Microbiota from Autism Spectrum Disorder Promote Behavioral Symptoms in Mice. Cell, 177(6), 1600-1618.e17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.05.004. PMID: 31150625; PMCID: PMC6993574
[3] Huang, W. C., Pan, C. H., Wei, C. C., & Huang, H. Y. (2020). Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 improves physiological adaptation and performance in triathletes through gut microbiota modulation. Nutrients, 12(8), 2315. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082315. PMID: 32752178; PMCID: PMC7468698.
[4] Liu, Y. W., Liu, W. H., Wu, C. C., Juan, Y. C., Wu, Y. C., Tsai, H. P., Wang, S., & Tsai, Y. C. (2016). Psychotropic effects of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 in early life-stressed and naïve adult mice. Brain Research, 1631, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2015.11.018. Epub 2015 Nov 24. PMID: 26620542.
[5] BenedLife. (n.d.). What is the gut-brain axis? BenedLife. Retrieved from https://benedlife.com/blogs/news/what-is-the-gut-brain-axis
