Recent research has discovered something extraordinary: that consuming specific types of probiotic supplements can have a positive effect on mood, through interactions with the microbiome and effects on the gut-brain axis.

What is the microbiome?

Our gut contains trillions of bacteria, some of which are beneficial, while others are harmful or opportunistic. Collectively these bacteria are known as the microbiome, and they play a vital role in maintaining our health.

How does the microbiome affect mood?

Gut bacteria affect mood through a communication pathway called the gut-brain axis. This involves microbiome-mediated vagus nerve signalling, production of neurotransmitters and other neuroactive substances, and control of inflammation.

Research has revealed that our gut bacteria affect mood through a variety of mechanisms.

Can altering the microbiome alter mood?

Scientists have shown that the make-up of the microbiome is different in people with mood disorders and neuro-development conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder than in the general population. Preliminary research shows that altering the microbiome can improve mood and even beneficially alter behaviour. The microbiome can be positively altered through fibre supplementation and supplementation with specific probiotics known as psychobiotics.

What are psychobiotics?

Psychobiotics are a class of probiotic which confer a mental health benefit when ingested in adequate amounts. These benefits may come directly from the psychobiotics or may come about through interaction of the psychobiotics with the existing microbiome already in your digestive system.

Psychobiotics are a class of probiotic which confer a mental health benefit.

Lactobacillus reuteri – A novel psychobiotic

Studies in animals and humans have shown that psychobiotics can affect mood, cognition and behaviour in a positive way. The exact effects depend on the type and the strain of bacteria used. For example, supplementation with a psychobiotic called Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 improves social behaviour in animal models of Autism Spectrum Disorder. This is mediated through its effect on gut lining integrity, systemic inflammation, and neurotransmitter production. Other strains have shown benefit in improving low mood.

Summary

Caring for your microbiome through healthy eating and supplementation with the correct psychobiotic strains may improve mental wellbeing.

The mouth harbours its own unique microbiome

Most people are aware that the gastrointestinal tract contains a community of bacteria and other micro-organisms, called the microbiome; but did you know that the mouth also harbours its own unique microbiome?

Oral bacteria play an important role in maintaining oral and systemic health and the latest research shows that if the oral microbiome becomes imbalanced, dental caries and periodontal disease can occur. An imbalance in your mouth’s microbiome can also have negative effects on your overall health and wellbeing.

 What is the microbiome? It is the bacteria and other microorganisms found in a specific environment, such as the human intestine or mouth. These microbiomes play an important part in maintaining human health.

 How the oral microbiome affects systemic health

An imbalance in the oral microbiome has been implicated in a number of systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, stroke, inflammatory bowel disease, and colorectal cancer, respiratory tract infections, appendicitis, and diabetes. Poor oral health has also been shown to have negative consequences for both mother and baby during pregnancy. Oral bacteria contribute to these conditions either through direct infection of distant body sites or through interactions with the immune system.

 Probiotics support a healthy oral microbiome 

We can also influence the oral microbiome directly by consuming certain probiotics. The use of probiotics can improve oral health; however, these effects are only seen with specific probiotic strains, so it is important to choose probiotics that have been proven to be beneficial.

 Probiotics are live bacteria that convey a health benefit when consumed.

Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 5289 reduce numbers of pathogenic oral bacteria that cause dental caries and periodontal disease. Furthermore, consumption of these strains has reduced the occurrence of dental caries, and improved clinical features and outcomes of gingivitis and periodontitis in scientific studies.

 Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 5289 rebalance the oral microbiome and can help reduce the numbers of pathogenic oral bacteria that cause dental caries and periodontal disease.

 Take care of your mouth to support long-term wellbeing 

In addition to taking a good probiotic, other things you can do to support the health of your oral microbiome include:

• Practicing good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily;
• Eating a healthy diet that is low in sugar and acidic foods such as soft drinks; and
• Avoiding smoking, which damages the oral microbiome significantly.

Supporting a healthy oral microbiome with the right probiotics could improve your oral and overall health. To find out more talk to your healthcare Practitioner today!

A functional medicine practitioner and a naturopath are similar in many ways, but that’s not to say that they are the same. Those seeking treatment for chronic conditions may find relief from practitioners in either field, but their methods do differ somewhat.

A functional medicine practitioner may use naturopathic techniques, and a naturopath may be trained in the methods of functional medicine too, but the two may still use different methods of treatment. Functional medicine builds on the foundation of conventional medicine and it treats patients holistically relying on some naturopathic concepts. Naturopaths rely solely on a variety of natural treatments.

What Is Naturopathy?

Naturopathy is a practice which is rooted in the belief that the body holds the innate ability to heal itself. A naturopath looks to harness the body’s vital force to enhance and support its ability to heal. The patient’s healing is helped by removing obstacles which may be impeding the body’s ability to heal and balance itself. If the patient’s body is in harmony, it can prevent disease and alleviate chronic conditions. A naturopath will use natural treatments such as nutrition, detoxification, herbal supplements, and homoeopathy to remove the illness.

How Are Functional Medicine Practitioners and Naturopaths Similar?

A functional medicine practitioner and a naturopath are similar in their approach. Both types of healthcare practitioners will begin the process by gathering as much information about the patient as they can. They will take into account their diet, the exercise they do, environmental factors and their genetics. A naturopath is more likely to take this further to gain insight into the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of the patient’s life.

Functional medicine and naturopathy both look to prevent chronic illness from developing into a disease by taking the individual into account. They both treat the patient, not merely the illness. Conventional medicine may suppress the symptoms while neglecting the factors causing the illness.

What’s the Difference Between Functional Medicine and a Naturopath?

Based on an in-depth consultation, a functional medicine practitioner will order lab tests to get a clearer picture of the patient’s health status and how their lifestyle and genetics may have affected their overall health. A naturopath may not be able to order such tests or form a diagnosis.

The two practices also differ in their treatment solutions. A naturopath will only utilise natural treatments, but a functional medicine practitioner will use every tool available to them through a multidisciplinary approach. This approach relies on the knowledge and skills of a physician, dietician, health coach, and a behavioural therapist. The functional medicine practitioner will then design an entire programme for the patient to follow in order to recover from their condition. A functional medicine practitioner may also rely on naturopathic treatments, should they consider them appropriate.

Philosophically, functional medicine views the body as a cohesive system, rather than a collection of organs independent of each other. The function or dysfunction of these organs affect each other and may manifest in illness. A naturopath primarily sees the human as self-healing and looks to harness the healing power of nature to help the body in the healing process.

Luke Clarke is unique in that he is both a functional medicine practitioner and a naturopath. This allows him to draw on his skills and experience in both fields to give his patients the right treatment to meet their needs, rather than utilising only one modality.