Understanding the Gut-Muscle-Brain Connection
Understanding the Gut-Muscle-Brain Connection
Building strength from within (literally)
We’ve examined the effect of coffee on gut health, and that of prebiotics and probiotics. Consequently, these dietary and lifestyle factors also affect our brain health including our susceptibility to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
Interestingly, our gut health is also intricately linked to a core bodily system– our muscles. While the health of your gut and that of your muscles might seem unrelated at first glance, emerging research reveals a fascinating and intricate connection between the two.
How is this connection relevant to our brain health, mood, and cognition?
Exercise, which improves our muscle health, can drastically reduce markers of stress and inflammation in the brain and body, chronic inflammation being the root of most physical and mental diseases. By lowering these inflammatory markers, exercise promotes a healthier brain environment, thus not only enhancing cognitive functions like memory and learning but also improving overall mood and reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.
Muscle health, as you probably already know, is crucial for maintaining mobility, strength, and overall physical function. Furthermore, it plays a vital role in metabolic health, which is tightly linked to mood and inflammation, as detailed here in our previous blogpost. For example, muscles are the primary sites for glucose uptake and storage; glucose being our primary energy source is essential for various metabolic processes. Moreover, healthy muscle function prevents chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases such as by improving cardiovascular efficiency and blood pressure, which once again reduces inflammation.
Connecting Muscle Health and Gut Health: The Evidence
Recent studies have begun to uncover the ways in which your gut health influences muscle health. Here are several key mechanisms through which the gut and muscles interact:
1. Nutrient Absorption:
The gut is responsible for breaking down food and absorbing nutrients that are essential for muscle function. These, to summarise, are amino acids from proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Amino acids are critical for muscle repair and growth, while vitamins and minerals support various bodily functions, including muscle contraction and energy production. A healthy gut ensures efficient nutrient absorption, providing muscles with the building blocks they need for growth and repair.
2. Inflammation Regulation:
Chronic inflammation, which is when your body's immune response stays active for a long time, can weaken muscles and lead to muscle loss. The bacteria in your gut help control this inflammation. Good bacteria produce substances like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate, that reduce inflammation. Keeping your gut healthy with a balanced microbiota can thus help support strong muscles!
3. Metabolic Regulation:
Our gut microbiota influences metabolism directly, including how the body processes fats and sugars. Therefore, dysbiosis, or an imbalance in your gut microbiota, can lead to metabolic imbalances that negatively impact muscle function. One example of a common metabolic issue that is often associated with poor gut health is insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone (produced by our pancreas) needed to let glucose into cells, including muscle cells. With insulin resistance, this means that glucose cannot get into the muscles to fuel them for your next gym and pilates session, rendering your efforts partially useless….
4. Immune Function:
Within our gut lies what’s called our gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), which works to defend our body from bad guys like viruses and pathogens and is a key component of the immune system. A healthy immune system is essential for muscle health because it helps prevent infections and inflammation that can damage muscle tissue. Basically: healthy gut microbiota —> optimal immune function —> optimal muscle health and function.
5. Mitochondrial Function:
Yup, we’re getting to the cellular level here. Some studies suggest that gut-derived metabolites can influence mitochondrial function, impacting muscle energy production and endurance. For instance, those short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate mentioned briefly above, are key mediators of mitochondrial energy metabolism. They enhance mitochondrial biogenesis, which is the process by which new mitochondria are formed in the cell, thus improving the muscle's capacity for oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and fatty acid oxidation (FAO). This means that a healthy gut microbiota can help increase the number of mitochondria in muscle cells, hence better energy production and improved endurance.
Maintaining a healthy gut microbiota can therefore be crucial for supporting overall muscle function and performance by ensuring efficient energy production at the cellular level.
What Can I Do? Strategies to Support the Gut-Muscle-Brain Connection
Now that you understand the interconnectedness of muscle health, brain health, and gut health, it would probably be helpful to know and adopt some strategies that support this connection, for comprehensive benefits. Here are some practical tips:
1. Diversify your Diet:
A balanced diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods is fundamental. Incorporate plenty of fibre-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to support a diverse gut microbiota. Lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, and plant-based proteins, provide essential amino acids for muscle repair and growth. Include the obvious gut-friendly foods: fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi introduce beneficial probiotics which further nourish that gut.
2. Move… A Lot More!:
It goes both ways– good gut health improves muscle health, and vice versa. Aside from stimulating muscle protein synthesis and enhancing muscle growth, physical activity positively impacts gut health by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria and enhancing gut motility, which is essential for efficient digestion and nutrient absorption, including transport of nutrients to the brain. A well-rounded exercise routine should include aerobic exercises, strength training, and flexibility exercises to maximise overall health benefits.
3. Turn to the Drink:
Water (and water only) is vital for both muscle and gut function by helping dissolve and transport nutrients to muscles and further aids in digestion of important nutrients. Aim to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, at least 2-3 litres depending on your body weight, especially during and after exercise or if you live in a hot country.
4. Take a Probiotic and Prebiotic:
It’s not quack, just science. And that’s what this whole blog is about anyway! As mentioned before, probiotics are live microorganisms (bacteria) that confer health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts, while prebiotics are non-digestible fibres that feed these beneficial bacteria in your gut. If you live in the city like I’m sure most of you do, you are likely to suffer from dysbiosis, or an imbalance of good and bad bacteria, which makes taking probiotic and prebiotic supplements vital to your wellness routine, especially since it would take a lot of kimchi and yoghurt to even out this imbalance.
5. Stress Management:
This is well-linked to the second and third points on exercise and sleep. Chronic stress negatively impacts both gut and muscle health. Stress can alter gut microbiota composition and contribute to inflammation. Practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and regular exercise can help manage stress levels.
6. Sleep Quality:
Sleep truly is the cornerstone, the elixir, of good health. Adequate sleep is crucial for muscle recovery and gut health. Poor sleep can disrupt your gut microbiota balance and impair muscle repair processes. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night, non-negotiable!
Your Gut is Your Strength
To conclude, optimise your exercise routine and gut health routine to nurture the unique and important connection between the gut, muscles, and brain. This connection underscores the importance of a holistic approach to wellness, and as research continues to uncover the complexities of this unique axis, adopting these strategies can help you stay ahead in your personalised journey towards better overall physical and mental health.