Gut Health: The New 'Axis Of Good' You Must Know About

This is the new axis—not of evil but of good. Scientists are calling it the gut-liver-brain axis and the evidence is now too strong to ignore.

The latest findings reported at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) held recently in Chicago indicated that the microbiome in the gut plays a major role in Alzheimer’s pathogenesis. The tests, conducted on more than 1,500 persons, revealed that patients of Alzheimer’s had lower levels of bile acids (produced by the liver) while secondary bile acids that are bacterially produced and are toxic for living cells were in higher concentrations.

This is, in fact, only the latest in the list of diseases that researchers now suspect are significantly related to our gut bacteria. These diseases range from hepatitis, liver irregularities (including cirrhosis), as well as many kinds of auto-immune diseases, to cancer.

An unhealthy balance of gut bacteria causes inflammation in the liver and this begins a silent cycle of aberrations, eventually breaking out as a major disease.

The biggest issue here is how silently this progression occurs. Which is why scientists have found it difficult to establish the gut-liver-brain connection for so long. This is also the main reason why gut-related diseases ‘sneak up’ on unsuspecting individuals.

Secondly, what is being strongly established is the link between our gut health and our emotions. This is because our gut bacteria secrete neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, the lack (or excess) of which are the primary cause of a lot of anxiety disorders and depression. 

Findings such as this one will enable more effective treatments of neurological diseases by helping recognize the imbalance early. Meanwhile, we can all learn to pamper our guts a bit more.