Summary of the content:
1. What are Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Leaky Gut Syndrome?
2. Is there a Link between Gut Dysbiosis and Psychological Disorders?
3.Immunity at the Crossroad: Leaky Gut, Inflammation and Depression
4.How to Rebalance the Gut-brain Axis?
5.Micro-immunotherapy: Immune Regulation to Restore Gut Health and Mental Health
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What are Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Leaky Gut Syndrome?
1.1) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Is an intestinal condition associated with stress that comes along with symptoms such as:
It is often correlated with leaky gut syndrome (LGS) and a damaged intestinal barrier. Both are associated with alterations in the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome (i.e. dysbiosis), a key organ of the human body that plays a vital role for the proper functioning of the metabolism and the immune system. These disorders are indicators of a systemic imbalance that may lead to other associated diseases if left untreated.
1.2) Leaky gut syndrome (LGS)
Is the term used to refer to increased intestinal permeability. Healthy individuals have a strong intestinal barrier, the function of which is to prevent the crossing of pathogens and food antigens into the bloodstream. The gut microbiome is part of this intestinal barrier, collaborating with the gut-associated immune system (which makes up approximately 80% of the body’s lymphoid tissue) to defend the host from external disruptors and maintain immune tolerance.
Increased permeability of the intestinal barrier due to chronic stress, inappropriate diet, dysbiosis, antibiotics or heavy metals is conducive to pathogens and other harmful substances crossing the intestinal barrier through “loose” tight junctions and triggering inflammatory responses mediated by the gut-associated lymphoid tissue.
This may as well lead to systemic inflammation through the gut-brain axis, which can be involved in the onset and/or development of psychological disorders such as depression.
Is there a Link between Gut Dysbiosis and Psychological Disorders?
At the next Short & Sweet webinar “Leaky Gut and Depressions” given by Dr. Marcus Stanton, you will learn how to gently bring the immune system, the intestinal milieu and the psyche back to balance in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with silent inflammation.
The gut microbiome is an essential organ in our body made up of millions of bacteria exerting various metabolic and immune functions:
1.Metabolic function: It ferments non-digestible dietary substrates (e.g. fibre) and produces short chain fatty acids, vitamins and essential amino acids.
2.Nutritional and trophic function: It produces short chain fatty acids (acetate, butyrate, propionate); it also favours acid-base balance by producing substances such as ammonia.
3.Barrier function: Apart from competing with external, potentially harmful pathogens and producing antimicrobial substances, it favours epithelial and intestinal barrier integrity.
4.Psychoneuromodulation: It can secrete neurotransmitters which act both locally and on the central nervous system.
5.Immunomodulation: It favours antigenic tolerance and exerts a regulatory effect on the immune system by participating in its development and maturation. It does so by stimulating the proliferation of immune cells and the phagocytic activity of macrophages, by inducing the production of cytokines, balancing the TH1/TH2 response, stimulating the production of antibodies (especially IgA, which acts as a mucosal antiseptic “tapestry” preventing bacterial adhesion)
Due to its capacity for psychoneuromodulation and its close interaction with the immune system, alterations of the gut microbiota (dysbiosis) have a direct impact on the enteric and central nervous system and immune function. These interactions occur mainly through the vagus nerve, a key agent in brain-gut communication.
The vagus nerve oversees various bodily functions such as mood, immune response, heart rate and digestion. It is also connected to the HPA axis and the stress response. Therefore, gut dysbiosis can lead to alterations in the HPA axis, immune dysfunction, and even psychological disorders.
Conversely, factors that damage the intestinal milieu, such as chronic stress, inappropriate diet, infections, heavy metals, or antibiotics, can contribute to an uncontrolled inflammatory response that is known to influence the brain via the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In fact, gut dysbiosis and increased intestinal permeability have been observed in patients suffering from psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, highlighting the bidirectional relationship between the gut and various bodily systems.
Immunity at the Crossroad: Leaky Gut, Inflammation and Depression
But how exactly is the immune system involved in these interactions?
Increased intestinal permeability (LGS) due to dysbiosis and/or a damaged intestinal wall allows pathogens and harmful substances to enter the bloodstream, thus triggering a persistent inflammatory response (silent inflammation).
Intestinal inflammation induces the release of proinflammatory cytokines which can have effects on the overall system, contributing to neuroinflammation. In fact, increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines have been observed in patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). By triggering a proinflammatory status, gut dysbiosis, LGS and chronic stress as combined factors can lead to changes in the blood-brain barrier and neuroinflammation.
How to Rebalance the Gut-brain Axis?
Rebalancing the gut-brain axis is a fundamental part of multimodal treatment strategies aimed at re-establishing homeostasis in intestinal disorders and psychological disorders, the pathogenesis of which is frequently multifactorial. As there are various systems that are dysregulated, personalised treatment plans based on comprehensive diagnostics and adapted therapeutic interventions need to address the various imbalances in order to sustainably recover health and prevent the development of diseases associated with gut-brain axis dysregulation (e.g. depression, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.). These multimodal treatment strategies may include the following measures:
Micro-immunotherapy: Immune Regulation to Restore Gut Health and Mental Health.
Through immune messenger substances (mainly cytokines) in low doses, micro-immunotherapy communicates with the immune system to retrain it back to proper function and resilience. In disorders where a dysregulation of the gut-brain axis is involved, such as IBS and/or depression, micro-immunotherapy can be synergistically combined with other treatment approaches (e.g. dietary interventions, supplementation, vagus nerve stimulation, psychotherapy) to regulate uncontrolled inflammatory processes and gently steer the molecular and cellular components of the immune system back to homeostasis and optimal coordination. In this context, and on the basis of an individualised assessment by the health professional, micro-immunotherapy offers various formulas that can be combined to readjust immune and metabolic imbalances as well as alterations of the stress axis. Thereby, diseases associated with excessive inflammation, chronic stress and gut-brain axis dysregulation can be prevented and long-term health can be promoted.
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