Huberman Lab

How to Enhance Your Gut Microbiome for Brain & Overall Health

Feb 28, 2022

01:49:43

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Quick takeaways

The gut and the brain have a two-way communication system, with the gut microbiome playing a crucial role in impacting metabolism, immune system, and brain function.

Neurons in the gut directly communicate with neurons in the brain to regulate feeding behaviors through the release of dopamine.

Mechanical signals, such as gut distension, can activate neurons that communicate with the brain to suppress appetite or induce vomiting, highlighting the brain's regulation of eating and reward.

Creating a diverse gut microbiome early in life through factors like breastfeeding, exposure to pets, and social interactions supports brain-gut signaling, immune system function, and overall well-being.

Deep dives

The Gut-Brain Connection: Communication and Influence

The gut and the brain have a two-way communication system. Your gut influences your brain and your brain influences your gut. This communication occurs through neurons and the release of neurochemicals. The gut microbiome, consisting of trillions of bacteria, plays a crucial role in this communication by impacting metabolism, immune system, and brain function. Gut health is important for overall well-being, and there are actionable steps you can take to optimize your gut health.

Fiber Intake and Microbiota Diversity

01:21

The Balance of Microbiome Diversity: Is More Always Better?

02:30

Gut-Brain Signaling and Food Preference

01:43

Do We Have Free Will?

02:25

Introduction

2min

The Gut Microbium Podcast

4min

The Huberman Lab Podcast Partnered With Momentous Supplements

4min

The Gut Brain Axis

2min

The Gut Brain Axis

3min

The Microbioda of the Digestive Tract

4min

What You Eat Influences Your Microbiome

2min

What Microbiota Are Doing in Your Gut?

3min

Neurons Are the Cells That Do Most of the Heavy Lifting in Your Nervous System

2min

10.

Neuropod Cells Are Activated by Sugar Fatty Acids and Ameno Acids

4min

11.

What's the Great Taste of a Sweet Food?

2min

12.

What Are Neuromadulators?

4min

13.

The Hormones That Drive You to Seek Out Food

4min

14.

How Does G P One Reduce Appetite?

2min

15.

How Do Hormones Affect Your Behavior?

3min

16.

What's the Difference Between Chemical and Mechanical Signalling?

4min

17.

Parkinson's Disease - Is Dopomine a Good Thing?

4min

18.

The Indirect Signalling Pathway From the Gut to the Brain

3min

19.

Serotonan in the Brain - Base Lines and Peaks

3min

20.

The Importance of Microbioda in the First Three Years of Life

6min

21.

Fecal Transplants for Psychiatric Disorders

4min

22.

The Power of the Microbioda in Shapering Mental Health

6min

23.

What Should We Do?

3min

24.

Is Fasting Good or Bad for the Microbiome?

5min

25.

Gut Microbiota Targeted Diets Modulate Human Immune Status

2min

26.

The High Fibre Diet Does Not Lead to Increased Microbiota Diversity

5min

27.

How Much Fermented Foods Are You Getting?

2min

28.

The Effects of Fermented Foods on Microbiota Diversity

5min

29.

Gut Microbium and the Brain

4min

30.

Is There a Strong Case for Artificial Sweeteners?

3min

31.

Gut Brain - Is There a Difference Between a Sweetener and a Sugary Food?

6min

32.

The Huberman Lab Podcast - What You Should Know

2min

In this episode, I discuss the profound effect the gut has on the nervous system. I cover the structure and function of the gut-brain axis and the role of the gut microbiome in the brain and overall health. I describe how the gut controls hunger or satiety by affecting neurons in our brain. I also contrast the many pathways by which the gut influences the brain: direct vs. indirect pathways, chemical vs. mechanical, and fast vs. slow signaling. Additionally, I discuss what defines a healthy microbiome and how your lifestyle impacts the gut microbiome, including the effects of stress, fasting, antibiotics, pets, environment, prebiotics and probiotics. I address how different foods shape the gut microbiome, in particular, the emerging data that fermented foods can increase the diversity of healthy gut microbiota. Throughout the episode, I explain peer-reviewed and textbook findings that reveal the critical role of the gut microbiome in supporting mental and physical health and I outline simple tools that anyone can use in order to enhance their gut microbiome health.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Gut Microbiome

(00:03:19) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:06:55) Your Gut-Brain Axis

(00:09:44) Gut-Brain Anatomy

(00:15:32) Microbiota vs. Gut Microbiome

(00:20:01) Roles of Gut Microbiome

(00:23:03) Neuropod Cells: (Subconscious) Tasting with Your Stomach

(00:34:13) Ghrelin: Slow Modulation of Your Brain in Hunger

(00:38:02) Glucagon Like Peptide 1; GLP-1

(00:42:22) Tools: ‘Free Will’ & Food Cravings

(00:44:46) Mechanical Cues from Gut to Brain

(00:49:05) Dopamines, Vomiting

(00:52:06) Indirect Signals from Gut Microbiota

(00:59:30) Gut Microbiome “Critical Periods”

(01:03:08) How Gut Health Controls Overall Health

(01:12:25) What is a Healthy Gut Microbiome?

(01:15:00) Tools: Enhance Your Gut Microbiome

(01:23:49) Foods to Enhance Microbiota Diversity; Fermented Foods

(01:37:07) High-Fiber Diets & Inflammation

(01:40:58) Artificial & Non-Caloric Sweeteners

(01:44:27) Structure & Function of Gut-Brain Axis

(01:49:47) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter, Neural Network Newsletter

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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Huberman Lab

How to Enhance Your Gut Microbiome for Brain & Overall Health

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Gut-Brain Connection: Communication and Influence

Neurons and Chemical Signaling

Mechanical Signaling and Vomiting Reflex

Indirect Signaling and the Gut Microbiome

The Impact of Gut Microbiota on Dopamine and Serotonin Levels

Establishing a Healthy Gut Microbiome in Early Life

The Power of Fermented Foods in Enhancing Gut Microbiota and Reducing Inflammation

Fiber Intake and Artificial Sweeteners' Impact on Gut Microbiome

Fiber Intake and Microbiota Diversity

The Balance of Microbiome Diversity: Is More Always Better?

Gut-Brain Signaling and Food Preference

Do We Have Free Will?

Thank you to our sponsors

Supplements from Momentous

Timestamps

Get the Snipd
podcast app

AI-powered
podcast player

Discover
highlights

Save any
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Share
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Huberman Lab

How to Enhance Your Gut Microbiome for Brain & Overall Health

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Gut-Brain Connection: Communication and Influence

Neurons and Chemical Signaling

Mechanical Signaling and Vomiting Reflex

Indirect Signaling and the Gut Microbiome

The Impact of Gut Microbiota on Dopamine and Serotonin Levels

Establishing a Healthy Gut Microbiome in Early Life

The Power of Fermented Foods in Enhancing Gut Microbiota and Reducing Inflammation

Fiber Intake and Artificial Sweeteners' Impact on Gut Microbiome

Fiber Intake and Microbiota Diversity

The Balance of Microbiome Diversity: Is More Always Better?

Gut-Brain Signaling and Food Preference

Do We Have Free Will?

Thank you to our sponsors

Supplements from Momentous

Timestamps

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