There is more and more data that demonstrates the relevance that intestinal bacteria have in our health. For example, according to new research presented in the journal ‘Cell Metabolism’, the intestinal microbiome plays a key role in regulating stress, an important risk factor for many diseases, such as cardiovascular pathology.
Research coordinated by the University of Cork and APC Microbiome Ireland (Ireland) demonstrates that the gut microbiome regulates the body’s diurnal (day-night) rhythms of stress hormones.
Specifically, the study indicates that an insufficient intestinal microbiota is capable of generating alterations in the central circadian system of the brain and is associated with alterations in the rhythms of stress hormones.
The findings open the door to the development of new microbe-based therapies that could help people better manage stress-related mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, which are often associated with disruptions in circadian cycles. and of sleep.
«Our research reveals an important link between the gut microbiota and the way the brain responds to stress in a time-specific way. The gut microbiome not only regulates digestion and metabolism; plays a fundamental role in the way we react to stress, and this regulation follows a precise circadian rhythm. “These findings underline the importance of maintaining a healthy microbiome, particularly for those living in today’s fast-paced and stressful environment,” said lead researcher Professor John Cryan.
The study was carried out using microbe transplantation. In this way, the team confirmed that alterations in intestinal microbes throughout the day are essential to regulate the secretion of the stress hormone.
The research offers compelling evidence that the billions of microorganisms in the gut orchestrate the body’s hormonal responses to stress in a time-dependent manner, paving the way for new therapeutic approaches targeting the gut-brain axis.
Additionally, it identifies specific gut bacteria, including a strain of Lactobacillus (Limosilactobacillus reuteri), as key elements of this circadian regulated stress mechanism.
Psychobiotic interventions
The study authors note that this innovative discovery opens new possibilities for psychobiotic interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes by targeting gut bacteria that influence stress regulation.
Study provides crucial information on how specific bacteria can help manage or prevent stress-related conditions
As today’s lifestyle increasingly disrupts circadian rhythms through irregular sleep patterns, high stress and poor diet, this research highlights the importance of the gut microbiota in maintaining the body’s natural stress-regulating processes.
For the first author, Gabriel Tofaniadded “the findings underscore the importance of not only the composition of the gut microbiota, but also how gut microbes change throughout the day. By showing that gut bacteria influence how the body handles stress throughout the day, we are helping to understand the mechanisms through which the microbiota shapes our responses to the environment around us. “Our work also demonstrates that exploring this relationship between the gut microbiota and circadian rhythms will be key in the development of microbiota-based therapies for stress-related disorders in the future.”
For Paul Rossdirector of APC Microbiome Ireland, this study represents a major advance in our understanding of how the microbiome influences our mental health. “This research provides crucial information about how targeting specific bacteria can help control or even prevent stress-related conditions. “The potential to improve mental health through microbiome-based interventions is very real, and this study brings us one step closer to that goal.”
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