What stress does to the body, brain and gut

Our modern lifestyle keeps the stressful plug constantly plugged in, and we often forget to press the off button. We all experience some form of stress, whether it is related to our personal and/or professional lives. Stress not only affects our daily lives, but unfortunately also the long-term health of our brains.

Living a completely stress-free life is difficult. But what does stress actually do to our bodies? It not only impairs short-term memory, for example, when it makes you forget your colleagues' names during an important meeting, but also has a negative effect on logical thinking, decision-making and memory (cognitive functions).

We typically distinguish between acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is transient and can, for example, be the feeling you get just before you go into an important meeting, whereas chronic stress is longer-lasting and will typically bring you down with both physical and mental pain. Unfortunately, acute stress can crest and turn into chronic stress if you experience extreme pressure for longer than you can handle - such as going through a lockdown in a society, being locked up with your family in far too few square meters and fearing that an illness will strike your loved ones - of course, all in addition to the usual everyday stressors.

Studies have shown that chronic stress can be harmful to the human brain. When you experience stress, your body produces high levels of cortisol – the so-called fight-or-flight hormone. Although the presence of cortisol is necessary for the body to perform daily functions, it can have devastating effects on your mental well-being and brain health if levels are high for a long time. Several studies have shown that high levels of cortisol can be linked to anxiety and stress (1) and can disrupt brain function by messing with the release of our brain’s chemical messengers (neurotransmitters), thus having a negative effect on our ability to think (cognitive functions)(2). Furthermore, chronic stress can lead to cell loss in one of the most important parts of the brain, namely the one responsible for memory and learning (prefrontal cortex)(3).

Studies show that brain and gut health are interconnected.
How? You might be thinking.
The gut and brain are directly connected via the vagus nerve, which continuously sends messages from your gut to your brain and vice versa. These messages can help your brain make decisions about things like digestion and the release of anti-inflammatory substances. Some of these messages are sent via small molecules (metabolites) produced by the bacteria in your gut (4).

Stress can affect your gut, and have a negative impact on your gut bacteria. Conversely, stress can occur in the gut when important "messenger" (neurotransmitter) producing bacteria are not maintained. Since your gut and brain are in constant communication via the vagus nerve, poor gut flora can therefore have a negative impact on your mental well-being and mood.

Studies show that stress can negatively impact the trillions of bacteria that live in your gut, and thus negatively impact your mental well-being and mood. This is via the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which is also interconnected with other systems, such as the immune system, internal bacteria, and blood vessels in the central nervous system (5).

That's why at Premind ^® Biotics, we carefully develop our products with uniquely selected nootropics , prebiotics and vitamins that support our gut-brain health. Many botanicals are rich in phytochemicals, which are plants' own defense mechanisms - they have a prebiotic effect that benefits gut health.

To help you achieve a higher level of inner relaxation, we have re-formulated our previous best-selling product: RO . RO is packed with botanicals that are all known for their calming, brain-health-boosting properties as well as their prebiotic functions that support your gut bacteria.

Let's dive into some of the key ingredients in the new edition of RO and explore how they can support your health.

Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis , a member of the mint family, native to southern Europe, is now grown worldwide. It is known for its many health benefits in relation to cognitive health, digestion and stress (Muller et al. (2006): A combination of valerian and lemon balm is effective in the treatment of restlessness and dyssomnia in children. Phytomedicine. 13(5): 383-387). It is rich in antioxidants, especially phenolic acids (including rosmarinic acid) and flavonoids.

Lemon balm also has a positive effect on our good gut bacteria. Research shows that lemon balm supplementation influences how diverse your gut microbiota is, and the greater the diversity the better (6). Furthermore, lemon balm can ease digestion and alleviate stomach pain (7).

Siberian rhizome
Rhodiola rosea , similar to Indian ginseng, is an adaptogenic herb with anxiolytic and calming powers. It is said to reduce fatigue and tiredness during times of prolonged stress.

Gotu Kola
Centella Asiatica , an herb in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, has been known since ancient times to have beneficial effects on cognitive function and to improve blood flow to the brain (8).

Jujube fruit
Ziziphus jujuba , a fruit traditionally used in Chinese medicine, is high in antioxidants and fiber, known for its beneficial effects on digestion and potential reduction of anxiety and insomnia (9). Additionally, the sugars found in jujube have a positive effect on strengthening the lining of the gut (10).

Preliminary research suggests that jujube may stimulate the growth of beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and Lactobacillus ( 10 ).

To sum up, Mother Nature offers plenty of botanicals that can help you achieve a better and calmer mental balance. You can find many of them in our new product, RO, which, together with a healthy lifestyle, can improve your well-being and induce a new level of inner peace.

To support your brain and gut throughout the day, try pairing RO with FOCUS .

 

 

 

 

Sources:

1. Fiksdal A, Hanlin L, Kuras Y, Gianferante D, Chen X, Thoma MV, Rohleder N. Associations between symptoms of depression and anxiety and cortisol responses to and recovery from acute stress. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2019 Apr;102:44-52. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.035. Epub 2018 Nov 24. PMID: 30513499; PMCID: PMC6420396.

2. Prager et al. (2009): Stress at the Synapse: Signal Transduction Mechanisms of Adrenal Steroids at Neuronal Membranes. Science Signalling; 2(86)re5 https://stke.sciencemag.org/content/2/86/re5.gloss#:~:text=The%20site%20of%20neuron%2Dto,current%20flow%20through%20ion%20channels

3. Amy FT Arnsten, Murray A. Raskind, Fletcher B. Taylor, Daniel F. Connor (2015): The effects of stress exposure on prefrontal cortex: Translating basic research into successful treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, Neurobiology of Stress, Volume 1, 2015. Pp. 89-99, ISSN 2352-2895, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynstr.2014.10.002.

4. Carabotti, M., Scirocco, A., Maselli, MA, & Severi, C. (2015). The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Annals of gastroenterology, 28(2), 203–209.

5. Farzi, A., Fröhlich, EE, & Holzer, P. (2018). Gut Microbiota and the Neuroendocrine System. Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, 15(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-017-0600-5

6. Fernandez et al. (2004): Sedative and sleep-enhancing properties of linarin, a flavonoid-isolated from Valeriana officinalis. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. ;77(2):399-404.

7. Donath et al. (2000): Critical evaluation of the effect of valerian extract on sleep structure and sleep quality. Pharmacopsychiatry; 33(2):47-53

8. Yuan Y, Wu X, Zhang X, Hong Y, Yan H. Ameliorative effect of salidroside from Rhodiola Rosea L. on the gut microbiota subject to furan-induced liver injury in a mouse model. Food Chem Toxicol. 2019 Mar;125:333-340. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2019.01.007. Epub 2019 Jan 14. PMID: 30654097.

9. Jana U, Sur TK, Maity LN, Debnath PK, Bhattacharyya D. A clinical study on the management of generalized anxiety disorder with Centella asiatica. Nepal Med Coll J. 2010 Mar;12(1):8-11. PMID: 20677602.

10. Cesarone MR, Incandela L, De Sanctis MT, Belcaro G, Bavera P, Bucci M, Ippolito E. Evaluation of treatment of diabetic microangiopathy with total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica: a clinical prospective randomized trial with a microcirculatory model. Angiology. 2001 Oct;52 Suppl 2:S49-54. PMID: 11666124.