October 3, 2022 Puzzle Piece
Healthy gut bacteria makes the brain ‘younger’
according to Irish study
The legendary Fountain of Youth is
a magical spring that restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes
in its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted around the
world for thousands of years.
The
mythical fountain has never been found; however, new research suggests
there’s an easy way to turn back the hands of time for at least one part
of the body—your brain.
The study, conducted on mice, determined that it was possible to reverse aging in the brain by restoring microbes in the gut.
The research was conducted at APC Microbiome Ireland at University College Cork and was published in the international scientific journal Nature Aging. The researchers called the study ground-breaking since it opens up a new sphere of study involving the gut-brain axis.
The gut-brain axis
The
gut–brain axis is the biochemical signaling process that takes place
between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system. In
most scientific studies, the term “gut–brain axis” refers specifically
to the role that gut flora plays in this communication. Though some
scientists point out this would technically be “microbiota–gut–brain
axis” for most people the shorter terminology has come to represent the
communication between gut microbes and brain.
As
people age it becomes more difficult to maintain healthy brain
function. Though this fact of life is not new, many countries—like the
U.S., India and China—are facing growing elderly populations. With this
in mind, researchers have been exploring new therapeutic avenues in the
form of microbial-based interventions to slow down brain aging and
associated cognitive problems.
The research team was led by Prof John F. Cryan, Vice President for Research & Innovation, University College Cork as well as a principal investigator at APC Microbiome Ireland an SFI Research Centre, also based in University College Cork.
“Previous
research published by the APC and other groups internationally has
shown that the gut microbiome plays a key role in aging and the aging
process. This new research is a potential game changer, as we have
established that the microbiome can be harnessed to reverse age-related
brain deterioration. We also see evidence of improved learning ability
and cognitive function,” said Prof Cryan.
Preliminary study
As
promising as the research is, the researchers warn it is just
preliminary. For now the research has only been conducted on mice. “It
is still early days and much more work is needed to see how these
findings could be translated in humans,” the researchers wrote.
In
addition, the improvements in brain function in the older mice was
accomplished by directly transplanting microbes from young animals into
their elderly counterparts. It still remains to be seen if the same
results can be duplicated by improving the gut microbiome with probiotic
supplements and foods.
Still,
the researchers note there is a growing appreciation of the importance
of the microbes in the gut on all aspects of physiology and medicine,
and based on earlier gut-brain studies, it is not surprising that
preliminary findings suggest that a healthier gut equates to a younger
brain.
The
researchers summarized: “The study opens up possibilities in the future
to modulate gut microbiota as a therapeutic target to influence brain
health.”
With
that in mind, it’s likely we will one day see an expanded role for
probiotics. A role where probiotics are not only a digestion and immune
defense nutrient—but also a brain nutrient.
Optimal Health Systems has
long recognized the importance of maintaining an optimal gut-brain axis
and offers a number of products containing multiple-strain probiotic
blends. Click links below to learn more:
• Optimal Flora Plus
• 21-Day Blitz Challenge Package
• Exposure Protection Pak
• Natural Z Pak
• Optimal Immune VRL
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Sources: Nature Aging, Science Daily.
Yours in Health and Wellness,
John W Brimhall, DC, BA, BS, FIAMA, DIBAK