on June 16, 2025
The gut-brain axis is a powerful communication network linking your digestive system and your brain via neural, hormonal and immune pathways. An imbalance in gut bacteria – known as a dysbiosis – can disrupt this connection and can contribute to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), low energy levels, and impaired immune function.1, 2, 3, 4
Studies have shown that individuals with IBS often have reduced microbial diversity, with lower levels of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli.
This imbalance can lead to: 3
- Increased gut permeability (leaky gut)
- Visceral hypersensitivity (gut pain)
- Low-grade inflammation
- Stress and mood disorders
Targeting the gut microbiome through diet and supplements can help restore balance, improve gut function, and positively influence overall wellbeing.4
References
1. Carabotti, M., Scirocco, A., Maselli, M. A., & Severi, C. (2015). The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Annals of Gastroenterology, 28(2), 203–209.
2. Mayer, E. A., Knight, R., Mazmanian, S. K., Cryan, J. F., & Tillisch, K. (2015). Gut microbes and the brain: paradigm shift in neuroscience. The Journal of Neuroscience,35(46), 13884–13893.
3. Moloney, R. D., Johnson, A. C., O'Mahony, S. M., Dinan, T. G., Greenwood-Van Meerveld, B., & Cryan, J. F. (2016). Stress and the microbiota–gut–brain axis in visceral pain: relevance to irritable bowel syndrome. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, 22(2), 102–117.
4. Ford, A. C., Harris, L. A., Lacy, B. E., & Quigley, E. M. M. (2018). Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy of prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics and antibiotics in irritable bowel syndrome. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 48(10), 1044–1060.
