#Microbiota Gut Axis

[suchananewsblog]

Explained | How does the gut microbiome link to autism spectrum disorders?

‘Fix your gut, fix your brain’ used to be an underrated idea, but it is today gaining in relevance as more and more research throws light on the role of the community of bacteria living in your gut, a.k.a. the gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome is not a panacea – but it may be able to facilitate better overall health and help improve the quality of life of individuals with various diseases…

[newspatron]

Gut Microbiome: Your Inner World

What fascinates you most about the gut microbiome? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!

Let’s explore the fascinating world of the gut microbiome—a bustling community of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi residing in your intestines. These microscopic residents play a vital role in your overall health, influencing everything from digestion and immunity to your mental well-being. Ever wondered why you feel “butterflies” in your stomach before a big event? That’s your gut-brain…

[dynamichealthinsights]

The Sleep-Gut Symphony: How Catching Zzz's Impacts Your Digestion and Overall Health

We all crave that feeling of rejuvenation after a good night’s sleep. But beyond simply feeling refreshed, sleep plays a far more profound role in our health than we often realize. Emerging research reveals a fascinating connection between sleep, our gut microbiota, and digestive health. It turns out that prioritizing those precious hours of slumber can be a game-changer for nurturing a thriving…

[creativeera]

The Human Microbiome Market is Pioneering Healthcare Through Microbes

The human microbiome refers to the trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, and fungi that inhabit the human body, playing a crucial role in immunity and overall health. The human microbiome market comprises probiotics, prebiotics, medical foods, diagnostic tests, and drugs that leverage the human microbiota to prevent and treat various conditions. Advances in sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have enabled researchers to characterize the human microbiome composition and understand its role in nutrition, metabolism, immune function, and other bodily processes. This growing microbiome understanding is revolutionizing healthcare with novel microbiome-targeted diagnostics, therapeutics, and medical foods. The Global Human Microbiome Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 4894.33 million in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.8% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031. Key Takeaways Key players operating in the human microbiome market are Diageo plc, Pernod-Ricard SA, Constellation Brands Inc., Brown-Forman Corporation, Remy Cointreau SA, Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits, Lapostolle SA, and Berentzen-Gruppe AG. These players are investing in R&D to develop innovative microbiome-based therapies targeting various inflammatory, metabolic, and infectious diseases. Growing prevalence of chronic diseases linked to gut dysbiosis such as diabetes, obesity, and autoimmune disorders is fueling the demand for human microbiome-based diagnostic tests and therapeutics. Researchers are investigating associations between specific gut microbiota and various conditions to develop targeted microbiome modulators. Increasing awareness about gut health and role of microbiome in overall wellness is encouraging global expansion of Human Microbiome Market Demand. Key players are focused on partnerships and acquisitions to strengthen their presence across regions especially in emerging markets of Asia Pacific and Latin America. Market Key Trends Probiotics are emerging as one of the key trends in the human microbiome market. Next-generation probiotic strains engineered using genomics are being explored for their potential to restore healthy microbiota, treat diseases, and offer immunomodulatory benefits. Companies are developing innovative delivery formulations such as probiotic gummies, chews, and drinks targeting specific health conditions to improve customer accessibility and experience. This growing innovation and customization in probiotic products will likely drive the probiotics segment during the forecast period.

Porter's Analysis Threat of new entrants: New companies entering the market would require high initial investment costs for R&D and specialized equipment and infrastructure.

Bargaining power of buyers: Buyers have moderate bargaining power due to availability of alternative microbiome-related products and services.

Bargaining power of suppliers: Suppliers have moderate bargaining power as key inputs like reagents and instruments are available from multiple vendors.

Threat of new substitutes: Potential threat from substitutes like prebiotics and probiotics is moderate.

Competitive rivalry: Intense competition expected among existing players to gain market share. Geographical Regions North America region accounted for the largest share of the human microbiome market value owing to presence of major players and availability of advanced healthcare infrastructure. Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period due to rising healthcare expenditure, increasing awareness about gut health, and growing research activities in countries like China and India.

Get more insights on Human Microbiome Market

Priya Pandey is a dynamic and passionate editor with over three years of expertise in content editing and proofreading. Holding a bachelor's degree in biotechnology, Priya has a knack for making the content engaging. Her diverse portfolio includes editing documents across different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. Priya's meticulous attention to detail and commitment to excellence make her an invaluable asset in the world of content creation and refinement.

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[atreef]

Can Alterations in Gut Microbiota Serve as Biomarkers for Predicting Mental Health Disorders?

The gut-brain axis mediated by gut microbiota represents bidirectional communication network in gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system this link suggests that changes in gut microbiota could serve as biomarkers for mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety highlighting its vital function and potential impact (Duan et al., 2022; Jia et al., 2020).

Likewise, significant effect has been discovered through recent studies that individuals with mental health disorders have experienced faster recovery compared to the control sample suggesting high value of impact through supplementation and balance of microbiota (Duan et al., 2022; Järbrink-Sehgal & Andreasson, 2020), forming high potential in predictive value of specific microbial taxa as modification in gut microbiota has been linked to positively affect mental health and recovery time compared to individual with an unbalanced microbiota (Yan et al., 2021). Therefore, active manipulation of microbiota levels provider can support individuals in faster and more efficient recovery.

Although specific role of gut microbiota in mental health is not well understood nor can be predicted due to individual differences or response; this research aims to further investigate and explore this topic through active alteration of gut microbiota via introduction of probiotics and prebiotics within participant’s daily diet. This can offer an opportunity to observe participants response to therapy and its respond marked as a predictor of mental health recovery time and state particularly when considering anxiety and depression.

A groundbreaking understanding of gut and mental health

This understanding can be a groundbreaking step for therapists and psychologist to incorporate its finding within their treatment planning and work collaboratively with nutritionist to formulate a more effective and personalized treatment plan making informed decisions with an integrated treatment plan effective for long-term mental health management and recovery time, potentially helping individuals shorten therapy with less reliant on medication through a holistic treatment plan that incorporated a multidimensional perspective incorporating both body and mind.

Formulating this collaboration can be the ground for a new personalized treatment plan. This study theorizes that a balance gut microbiota can serve as a supportive factor for individuals to progress their mental health recovery journey and achieve a desired response through therapy with a lower medication dependency. Therefore, the focuses will be set to explore the potential role of gut microbiota alterations in daily diets seeking to understand its interaction and/or involvement when exploring disorders such as anxiety and depression in via gut microbiota manipulation through supplementation.

Variables Definition

The variables in this study are defined as follows:

Independent variable (IV): Given the state of this research in this study the IV has been set as the dietary intervention with and without probiotic and prebiotic supplementation. These conditions will be explored in two set levels:

Control condition: Through standard diet Participants carry their regular daily diet without any added supplementation.

experimental condition: Participants diet will be supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics adjusted by a nutritionist to ensure proper supplementation.

Dependent variables (DV): Three primary DVs have been set for this study that will be measured and monitored throughout the study:

Gut microbiota composition: The gut microbiota composition will be measured through 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples defined by changes within the microbial taxa.

Mental health status: To assess participants mental health status the researcher will utilize standardized scales such including Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Physiological stress markers: The physiological stress markers will include cortisol levels and inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, measured through blood samples.

Set conditions will be defined throughout the study by participants adherence to dietary protocols assigned.

Theoretical Framework and Literature Review

Halverson and Alagiakrishnan (2020) explored gut-brain axis as a well-established pathway impacting mental health through gut microbiota influencing brain function and behavior a process in how gut microbes interact with central nervous system demonstrating significant effect on mental health by neural, endocrine, and immune pathways. Highlighting the modulation of neurotransmitters and other neuroactive compounds through gut bacteria leading to changes in mental and behavioral state.

Likewise, dietary components offer therapeutic approach through altering gut microbiota with potential in improving mental health disorders via healthy diet (Xiong et al., 2023). This study explored the positive effects of diet and its components via gut microbiota by alleviating and/or reducing symptoms of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Xiong et al. (2023) highlights the importance of a healthy dietary plan in support of having a healthy gut microbiota composition an important factor in maintaining a healthy mental health as Implementing a healthy and positive interventions, a promising approach to treat mental health disorders.

Chang et al. (2024) mini review employed faecal microbiota transplants to emphasize the significant progress via mechanistic pathway involved in rebalancing gut microbiota showcasing the positive impact in mental health. Gates et al. (2022) also examined changes in diet and its effects by modifying gut microbiota emphasizing positive impact on mental health suggesting a healthy alteration indicating noteworthy response with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Boscaini et al. (2023) explored whey proteins consumption affecting microbiota with positive impact on mental health. Boscaini et al. (2023) highlights mechanisms through which whey protein can enhances the production of beneficial gut bacteria and the production of neuroactive substances that positively affect mental health.

Gut microbiota and mental health

Collective evidence from current research suggests strong link between gut microbiota and mental health. However, as stated by Grajek et al. (2022) the current body of research lacks an understanding on how mental health professionals can utilize such knowledge in formulating treatment plans.

Furthermore, Vindegaard et al. (2021) and Moqbil et al. (2021) highlighted the need for targeted research on predictive value of gut microbiota alterations for a better and more efficient mental health recovery. Madison and Kiecolt-Glaser (2019) in their study emphasized the role of stress and depression in regard to gut microbiota with the inclusion of cortisol and C-reactive protein as dependent variables, Merlo et al. (2024) additionally supported the positive effect of probiotic and prebiotic supplementation with positive impact on mental health.

Thus, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how alteration in gut microbiota can serve as mean to support individuals who are suffering from mental health disorders and support them in their treatment. This study hypothesizes that incorporating probiotic and prebiotic to daily diet can support individuals in a faster and more personalized recovery from mental health disorders and support positive changes in microbiota composition correlating with mental health improvement. This research has the potential to revolutionize mental health treatment offering a new pathway for therapist to work collaboratively with nutritionist providing scientific basis for the integration of nutritional interventions to not replace traditional treatment but rather to enhance and personalize treatment planing and reduce the possible dependency of medication.

Therefore this study seeks to bridge the gap by allowing therapist and other mental health professionals to better understand the existing link among body and mind, supporting individuals with long-term mental disorders with the hope of more effective response to treatment and recovery creating the foundation for a true personalized treatment plan link with both body and mind.

Existing research limits the connection of gut microbiota and mental health in supporting mental health professionals working collaboratively with nutritionist to support individuals in their recovery journey; therefore, filling a crucial gap by investigating direct impact of targeted gut microbiota manipulation though supplementation of proper probiotic and prebiotic while observing the changes in mental health recovery outcomes.

Although past research established correlation between gut microbiota and mental health disorders (Vindegaard et al., 2021; Moqbil et al., 2021; Merlo et al., 2024) though very limited research has been conducted on its predictive value by intentional alteration of gut microbiota for a faster mental health recovery. Previous research has established correlations between gut microbiota and mental health; though, there is limited research on the predictive value of intentional microbiota alterations for mental health disorder recovery. This study aims to provide a foundation for integrating nutritional interventions into psychological treatment plans, an area that remains underexplored in current clinical practice.

Research Design and Hypotheses

Research Design

Utilizing randomized controlled trial (RCT) design participants are randomly selected and assigned. The selection of this design helps assess the impact of specialized dietary intervention impacting gut microbiota and mental health outcomes. Both groups will also receive cognitive behavioral therapy as an intervention on a weekly basis to support their specific needs such as anxiety or depression.

Methods and Systems

Participant Recruitment

For this study all participants will be recruited through social media platforms such as Instagram and the utilization of advertisement. This can benefit the study by allowing the researcher to be specific in criteria and target their audience. The age group for participants will be 18-65 clinically diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression.

Exclusion criteria: Individuals that are currently and actively taking antibiotics and/or Individuals who are diagnosed with either gastrointestinal diseases and/or individuals with any form of past gut surgery.

Intervention

The intervention group will receive specialized diet rich in probiotics and prebiotics for three months. This diet will be reviewed and administered by a nutritionist to ensure accuracy. The control group will continue with usual diet without receiving supplements.

Data Collection

The gut microbiota composition will be analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing sampled through stool collection at the beginning of the experiment and at the end of the study after the 3-month duration of the study.

Psychological testing and assessments will also be conducted by a mental health providers at the beginning of the study to measure beginning levels of anxiety and depression utilizing standardized scales and at the end of the treatment duration to indicate the beginning and the ending of the levels. This study will incorporate the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) as an assessment for this research

Physiological stress markers for this study will be measured via cortisol levels and C-reactive protein measured through blood samples at the beginning and the end of treatment.

Data Analysis

The changes in psychological and physiological markers of mental health will be correlated with changes in gut microbiota composition of participants. Statistical analyses will include t-tests and ANOVA to compare changes also regression analysis will be utilized to predict mental health outcomes based on gut microbiota.

Hypothesis

This study proposes the following hypotheses:

H₁: Participants who are supplemented with probiotic and prebiotic will show more beneficial gut microbiota revealing a lower levels of stress markers and an improved scores on psychological assessments with a faster recovery time vs the participants who are not receiving the probiotic and prebiotic.

H₂: Positive alterations in gut microbiota composition will positively correlate with improvements in mental health that can suggesting specific changes in microbial taxa is an effective biomarker for not only predicting but also managing mental health disorders.

Method

Participants

            This study will have 100 adult participants who are between the age of 18 and 55 years. This sample size was selected due to several factors. First to understand the proper number of participants a power analysis was conducted while assuming medium effect size (d=0.5), an alpha level of 0.05, and desired power of 0.80 using G*Power software for our analyses suggesting minimum sample size of 84; therefore, the sample size was increased to 100 to support the study and count for potential attrition and to further enhance statistical power. Likewise this sample size aligns with the possibility of participants dropping out. Furthermore, the larger sample also allows for a more diverse representation of participants, enhancing the external validity of our results.

            Furthermore the sample size can support the study in detecting significant differences among each group the experimental and the control group creating balance and the need for rigorous statistical analysis while accounting for potential dropout and non-compliance typically seen in dietary intervention studies.

Participants Selection

            The selection of participants for this study will be through the use of social media platform. The researchers will utilize Instagram as a mean to recruit participants by incorporating advertisement. Utilizing advertising campaign will allow the researcher to fine tone their criteria and target the correct audience who fall into the participants criteria and are targeted to have a higher chance of interaction with the advertisement. This process will emphasize on the voluntary aspect of this study with all its potentials informing the participants thoroughly on all potential risks and the benefits of the study prior to giving written informed consent.

            To support the diversity of the study and achieve balance within the desired demographic the recruitment advertisement and the consent form will be available in multiple language including but not limited to English, Spanish, and Mandarin. Further efforts will be made to incorporate underrepresented groups.

Sampling Procedure

            For this study the participants are recruited via non-probabilistic, convenience sampling method. Although, this may limit generalizability of the finding vs random sampling; however, due to its feasibility and effectiveness for online settings this method has been chosen. After the completion of the initial response all participants for this study will undergo a screening process to better verify current diagnoses and their suitability based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.            

Group Assignment

Upon successful screening of all active participants, they will be randomly assigned to one of two groups helping the study to achieve and ensure equal distribution within each active groups. The control group will be instructed to maintain their diet without any modification or alteration throughout the study. However, the experimental group will be instructed to adhere a diet supplemented with probiotics and prebiotics selected for them based on their levels provided to them by a nutritionist. To ensure randomization this study will utilized Microsoft Excel and create a computer-generated table to ensure unbiased assignment this code will be created by the research team to ensure ability of replication.

Group Assignment Code:  =IF(B2<MEDIAN($B$2:$B$n), "Control", "Experimental")

Apparatus/Materials and Procedure

Apparatus: The device that will be utilized for this study will be centrifuge Model AC-234 for blood samples processing and stool samples the study will utilize a microbiota analysis system 16S rRNA sequencing kit provided by GenTech Labs.

Materials: The study will utilize two main forms of data collection instruments:

Dietary Intake Questionnaire: The dietary intake questionnaire will be primarily built for the use of this study to support the study in tracking adherence of the participants to the provided diet intervention provided in Appendix A.

Psychological Measures: The use of Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) also will be utilized in this study to assess participants mental health state both at the beginning of the experiment and at the end of the study. and end of the study period.

Procedure: The specific procedure for this study has been developed in 4 steps to ensure clarity and replicability of future studies.

Initial Screening and Group Assignment: upon completion of informed consent by the participants all active participants will be screened via BAI and BDI to confirm current diagnoses of anxiety or depression which then allows the researcher to randomly assign participants to one of two groups, control or experimental.

Dietary Intervention: The participants who are within the experimental group will be provided a diet enriched with probiotic and prebiotics vs the participants in control group who will receive their usual diet. During the study all participants will be monitored on a weekly basis via Zoom meeting to ensure compliance and will have access to a direct line to the researcher in case of any needed adjustment or intervention.

Biological and Psychological Assessments: At the end of the 3-month period of this study the researcher will collect biological samples from the participants that include a blood and stool sample the blood sample is analyzed for cortisol and C-reactive protein levels and stool samples will be analyzed for microbiota composition; also during this time the researcher with conduct psychological assessment.

Data Analysis: The provided data from this study will then be analyzed using a t-test to compare the mean between the two group and analyzed for the difference, the researcher will then utilize ANOVA for a more in-depth analysis within each given groups. Finally, regression analysis will be utilized to explore the predictive relationship of gut microbiota changes and mental health outcome.

Follow-Up: To ensure participants engagement and active participation weekly Zoom meetings will be conducted to follow up with participants and ensure the need if any adjustment is needed to be made or any support during the study. Likewise, this can support participants to increase motivation.

Ethical Considerations and Informed Consent

            Prior to the start of the study all participants will be required to sign an informed consent that covers the purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits. This can ensure full involvement of participants and acknowledgment of all aspects of this study while addressing all questions that participants may have in regard to their participations and their participation reequipment and how their data will be collected and furthermore protected while being used solely for the research. The consent form also assures all participants of their voluntary involvement and ability to withdraw at any point of the study.

            All data will be protected and saved in a local computer that is in a secure location and will only be handled by the researchers to comply with all HIPPA criteria ensuring that all participants information is and will remain confidential. Upon the completion of the study all names and identifying information will be removed.  

Original Paper and Presentation:

References

Boscaini, S., Skuse, P., Nilaweera, K. N., Cryan, J. F., & Cotter, P. D. (2023). The ‘Whey’ to good health: Whey protein and its beneficial effect on metabolism, gut microbiota and mental health. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 133, 1-14. 10.1016/j.tifs.2022.12.009

Duan, Y., Wu, X., Yang, Y., Gu, L., Liu, L., Yang, Y., Zhou, J., Wu, C., & Jin, F. (2022). Marked shifts in gut microbial structure and neurotransmitter metabolism in fresh inmates revealed a close link between gut microbiota and mental health: A case-controlled study. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 22(3), 100323. 10.1016/j.ijchp.2022.100323

Chang, M., Chang, K. T., & Chang, F. (2024). Just a gut feeling: Faecal microbiota transplant for treatment of depression – A mini-review. SAGE Publications. 10.1177/02698811241240308

Gates, E. J., Bernath, A. K., & Klegeris, A. (2022). Modifying the diet and gut microbiota to prevent and manage neurodegenerative diseases. Reviews in the Neurosciences, 33(7), 767-787. 10.1515/revneuro-2021-0146

Grajek, M., Krupa-Kotara, K., Białek-Dratwa, A., Sobczyk, K., Grot, M., Kowalski, O., & Staśkiewicz, W. (2022). Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health. Frontiers in Nutrition (Lausanne), 9, 943998. 10.3389/fnut.2022.943998

Halverson, T., & Alagiakrishnan, K. (2020). Gut microbes in neurocognitive and mental health disorders.Annals of Medicine (Helsinki), 52(8), 423-443. 10.1080/07853890.2020.1808239

Järbrink-Sehgal, E., & Andreasson, A. (2020). The gut microbiota and mental health in adults. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 62, 102-114. 10.1016/j.conb.2020.01.016

Jia, W., Zhen, J., Liu, A., Yuan, J., Wu, X., Zhao, P., Zhao, L., Li, X., Liu, Q., Huang, G., & Xu, A. (2020). Long-Term Vegan Meditation Improved Human Gut Microbiota. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020, 9517897. 10.1155/2020/9517897

Madison, A., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2019). Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: human–bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 28, 105-110. 10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.01.011

Merlo, G., Bachtel, G., & Sugden, S. G. (2024a). Gut microbiota, nutrition, and mental health. Frontiers in Nutrition (Lausanne), 11, 1337889. 10.3389/fnut.2024.1337889

Moqbil, S., Niedobylski, S., Laszczak, K., Warchoł, K., & Mikos, E. (2021). The gut microbiota and mental health. Journal of Education, Health and Sport, 11(9), 304-309. 10.12775/JEHS.2021.11.09.037

Vindegaard, N., Speyer, H., Nordentoft, M., Rasmussen, S., & Benros, M. E. (2021). Gut microbial changes of patients with psychotic and affective disorders: A systematic review. Schizophrenia Research, 234, 1-10. 10.1016/j.schres.2019.12.014

Xiong, R., Li, J., Cheng, J., Zhou, D., Wu, S., Huang, S., Saimaiti, A., Yang, Z., Gan, R., & Li, H. (2023). The Role of Gut Microbiota in Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Disorders as Well as the Protective Effects of Dietary Components. Nutrients, 15(14), 3258. 10.3390/nu15143258

Yan, R., Andrew, L., Marlow, E., Kunaratnam, K., Devine, A., Dunican, I. C., & Christophersen, C. T. (2021). Dietary Fibre Intervention for Gut Microbiota, Sleep, and Mental Health in Adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Scoping Review. Nutrients, 13(7), 2159. 10.3390/nu13072159

[gutfoundation]

Probiotics And Prebiotics: What You Should Know?

Discover the importance of probiotics and prebiotics for gut health in this detailed guide. Learn about their roles, sources, benefits, and how they work together to promote a healthy digestive system. Explore the latest research findings and practical tips for incorporating probiotics and prebiotics into your diet for improved overall well-being.

[artisticdivasworld]

The Profound Connection Between Gut Health, Body Health, and Mental Health

Gut health has increasingly become a focal point of medical research in recent years. As health professionals, we often see the manifestation of physical symptoms due to various health conditions. However, it’s essential to understand that the root of many of these conditions can be traced back to the gut. Not only does gut health influence body health, but it also has a profound impact on mental…

[totalphysiologycom]

The Gut-Brain Axis Recent

[marishasworld]

Antibiotics’ Effects on the Gut microbiota and Food Desires/Food Craving

large and varied population of bacteria called the human gut microbiota inhabits the digestive tract. Our general health and well-being are greatly influenced by this community, which helps to control our immune system, metabolism, and even mood.

[omg-erika]

Nightmare Alzheimer's: Does The Gut Save Us?

by Dr.Harald Wiesendanger– Klartext What the leading media are hiding No disease dreads people more than Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia: a gradual mental decline at the tragic end of which nothing is left of what makes a body a person. The neurodegeneration in the brain that causes it is considered incurable. But recent studies give hope. They illustrate the key role of the…

[daphnedauphinoise]

got any more article recs?

[moonbittern]

@gamebird said:

Blood sugar level must be artificially maintained?

ngl i was thinking more along the lines of @rebellum’s tags - how do they function without the gut-brain axis and if the gut microbiota is important for brain development what are the implications of THAT etc etc

but this is also a good question, like, i’m sure we’re supposed to just go “sure, murderbot has batteries” and move on with our lives but this is the kind of nitpicky biological stuff that i both love and don’t know enough about to properly theorize with. how DO constructs manage blood sugar? where are they getting salt and potassium and water and vitamin C and so on and so forth?

i’d think maybe that’s what the cubicle resupply thing is for, and maybe preservation could jerry-rig something that works, but that leaves a gap between all systems red and exit strategy where murderbot was still functioning 🤔

[persephoneflouwers]

i want to know the real reason mental healthh is in our stomach cause that thing kills me so much :(

It’s called Brain-Gut Axis. The talking in literature and medical journals is relatively new, but they also call it second nervous system too. It’s the way neuropsychologically the two systems interacts (via neurotransmitters, molecules and even the microbiota) and one informs the other of the conditions of the organisms and vice versa.

Here a few links:

The brain gut connection (Hopkin medicine)

The gut and the brain (Harvard University)

And two recent publications about it for those who want to read deeper in details haha:

A gut derived metabolite alters brain activity and anxiety behaviours in mice 2022

The microbiota-Brain-Gut axis 2020

@shinylights here you go <3

In reference to this

[thejackofalltrades42069]

"Shadowboxing".

Image taken from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill.

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In this post I'll explain "shadowboxing" (biasing yourself towards something) and provide a couple examples of how people can use shadowboxing to their advantage, and of how people often use it to their disadvantage.

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Intro.

When I was reading The Book of Five Rings for the 3rd time, I couldn't avoid remembering and thinking about a quote from a comic book, "You see, when you begin shadowboxing, sometimes the shadows become real. Isn't that odd."

This quote is said (in the comic) by James Moriarty who had been appointed by the British secret intelligence to be a director of military intelligence, but also, to act as a crime-lord so that he could control and monitor the underworld (criminal neighborhoods and other criminals). After acting as a crime lord for so long, he became biased towards it, he developed an strong affinity for it; it changed his thinking, his behavior, and his perception of the world. After acting as a crime lord for so long, he became a crime lord, and by the time the comic book takes place, he acted as a criminal and not as the director of military intelligence he was meant to be.

This is of course an example in fiction, but these shadows that become real when you do too much "shadowboxing" can happen to anyone when they engage in any particular activity repeatedly.

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Examples of how to use shadowboxing to your advantage.

If someone dedicates a significant amount of time to train martial arts, let's say, Kung Fu. They will become more disciplined, it will be easier for them to focus on other tasks, and they will overall feel more confident. The skills acquired during constant training will influence that person's behavior and decision-making in other areas of their life too.

Another example, someone dedicates 20 to 45 minutes daily into reading or listening to podcasts about specific subjects like science, psychology, philosophy, nutrition, etc. And from time to time they also read novels or other books. While doing these activities, the cellphone is put in silent mode inside a drawer to avoid distraction. This will lead to a few things; a more structured and objective thinking and decision-making, a developed skill to concentrate easier, a faster understanding for everything in general.

These examples are not detailed, I just want to explain this idea overall. This idea can be used to do things like develop a great relationship with your partner, to learn a language, to overcome an addiction, to learn reasoning to become less biased, etc.

Examples of how we use shadowboxing to our disadvantage.

Gut-brain axis example:

It is known that the gut microbiome can affect people's mental health in a positive or negative way. When a person has an unhealthy diet, there's a proliferation of harmful bacteria and reduction of beneficial bacteria, this leads to a dysregulation in naurotransmitter production and function which lead to mood disorders, such as an increased anxiety, stress, and sometimes it can even lead to depression (the gut microbiota is involved in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to regulate mood). In short, a bad diet can bias you to things like having more negative thoughts during the day because you're more stressed. As a specific example, any alcohol consumed is a big part of the equation in a bad diet, it is terrible for gut health. It is very easy to have an awful diet nowadays or to think "I have a great diet" and for that not to be the case, a lot of research and consulting other people can be useful for this specific example. Aditionally, the gut health interacts with the immune system, imbalances can cause a chronic inflammation in the body that can lead to disease or higher levels of stress.

As another regular theme of my blog, here are a couple of disadvantages you can become biased towards if you use social media and the internet too much:

Social media addiction: spending time on social networks can lead to addiction-like behaviors. People will experience difficulty in controlling their usage, feel anxious when unable to access social media, neglect real-life activities, and prioritize online interactions over offline relationships (many times these are not conscious behaviors). Reduced face-to-face social interaction: a lot of times, usage of social networks leads to a decrease in face-to-face social interactions. Spending more time online will reduce opportunities for real-world connections and affect the quality of relationships, leading to feelings of isolation or loneliness. This will be a result not only because social media is used too much, but because it drains people's energy (dopamine), and they won't want to go out or do other activities. Comparison and self-esteem issues: constant exposure to carefully curated content on social media (by the algorithms any social media platform have) can lead to unhealthy social comparisons. Many people will compare their lives, appearance, achievements, and relationships to others (even if it's unconsciously), which will negatively impact their self-confidence and contribute to feelings of inadequacy. Needless to say, this results in many unwanted behaviors people have, like feeling uncomfortable, angry, or sad when someone else talks about another person who's attractive or rich.

ADHD (attention deficit disorder) and being exhausted: using social media, the cellphone, and internet a lot is known to cause fatigue, more so if it's being used at the same time we're working or doing anything else, it's bad for our mental health, it's detrimental even. People claim to have attention deficit when they're spending 4+ hours on their cellphone daily, they also feel exhausted and can't do many demanding activities during the day, they also have a hard time sleeping, these are all outcomes from using cellphone and social media too much (this is all studied, the information is available online, most of us are addicted to cellphones, it's best to put them on silent mode and hide them while doing other activities).

These are just some examples, there are many activities we can engage in that lead to negative outcomes overtime, some of those activities can be related to our ideologies and values, coming next.

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Some of the psychology to further explain this.

Having specific political/ social values also bias people toward activities and trains of thought that are completely biased and that are impractical (full of logical fallacies), I'd advise to learn more reasoning and trying not to have a specific social or political ideology (like considering yourself a conservative or liberal for example). We can try to take what's useful from different views or ideologies and create our own practical philosophy, relying more on reason and on what works and on what doesn't work.

To further explain, ideologies usually have socio-political agendas (the agenda being for things to work out for the people with those agendas, not to look for any sort of solution at all), most of us are victims of those ideologies since we're kids, from our family or from society, that's transfered to us, whether we like it or not. It's hard to think that the world can work otherwise from the way someone with a specific set of values sees it, but actually, it does, and it works completely different, there are so many things that we misunderstand and misinterpret daily because of our biases and lack of knowledge.

Many people take refugee of their actions and ideas in ideology, some people justify their cheating on their partner with an ideology, others justify being completely irrational with "science facts" (cherry picked or misunderstood science facts), some justify their failed attempts to do things, their addictions, and so on. We're not perfect and we screw up a lot of times, but, we can learn to be more rational and find solutions to existing problems. Finding that versatility together with finding things that work is best.

To give an example, most people have many failed attempts to do many things, like, having a long term relationship with someone else, in big part this is because people are expecting things to happen in a very specific way. Things never happen in that specific way, so, those people don't look for solutions, they don't really talk to their partner about what's going on, and they break up and look for someone else (even after 10 years and with kids, perhaps the problem isn't your partner, perhaps it is, we can't know if we don't really understand the problem, and really try to solve it), the solution most of the time is to be more open for things to work differently, and, to work hard on the relationship always, and of course, many partners are not good partners, but sometimes it's just because they just don't know how to be good partners and are also expecting things that are not realistic (or, they're just thinking about something else that you're not thinking, you're not really talking, and you're not really understanding what each other needs, at the same time, some needs can be unrealistic), usually we just have to talk things out, really understand each other, and figure out solutions, if we're closed to really doing that, no relationship will ever work out.

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Conclusion.

My point here is, you can and should bias yourself toward somewhere you want to be or toward a goal you want to achieve, and you don't need to be really uptight about it, you just need to do useful activities daily or often (reading, practicing a sport, talking with other people, not using social media too much).

I would highly advise not to bias yourself toward becoming someone you don't want to be, or toward doing many activities you don't want to do, so be careful about the activities you do often, the content you consume, and the people you spend time with, because all that will bias you to have a certain identity, to certain values, and all that will change your overall perspective/ biases.

In short, the activities we often engage in will completely change ourselves in a positive or negative way.

xoxo

[gutfoundation]

Probiotics And Prebiotics: What You Should Know?

Discover the importance of probiotics and prebiotics for gut health in this detailed guide. Learn about their roles, sources, benefits, and how they work together to promote a healthy digestive system. Explore the latest research findings and practical tips for incorporating probiotics and prebiotics into your diet for improved overall well-being.

[totalphysiologycom]

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