Did you know your brain is directly connected to your gut? Your mouth waters when you think about food, right? There are emotional connections too! Those “butterflies” you feel in your stomach start in your brain. That’s because the gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Fear, anger, and anxiety are all felt in the gut because the brain has a direct effect on the gut. This connection is a two way street. An agitated intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a problematic brain can send signals to the gut. Distress in a person’s stomach or intestines can be the cause, or, it can be the product of anxiety, stress, or depression. The brain and the gastrointestinal system are intimately connected.
There are more than 100 million nerve cells in our gut. The gut is pretty smart! It talks to the brain and releases hormones and neurotransmitters into the bloodstream. Sure, the gut tells us when we’re hungry and when we’re full, but a recent study showed that the gut has an even stronger and faster connection to the brain. The gut can transmit messages faster than the blink of an eye. Scientists found a new pathway in cells called enteroendocrine cells located in the lining of the gut. These cells work to produce hormones that encourage digestion and suppress hunger. The scientists discovered that they also talk to the brain. In a petri dish, the enteroendocrine cells reached out to brain neurons within 100 milliseconds.
The lining of your gut has been called “the second brain,” and now there is more reason for the title. Given how strongly connected the brain is to the gut, it’s important to regularly eat wholesome foods to keep that connection strong and healthy.
