Huberman Lab

How to Enhance Your Gut Microbiome for Brain & Overall Health

Feb 28, 2022

Discover the fascinating connection between your gut and brain, including how gut health influences hunger and mental well-being. Learn about the gut-brain axis and the pathways through which the gut affects brain function. Explore the importance of a diverse microbiome, with a focus on fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha. The podcast also addresses the impact of lifestyle factors, such as stress and diet, on gut health. Tune in for practical tips on enhancing your microbiome for improved overall health.

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.

The Effect of Fermented Foods on Microbiota Diversity and Inflammation

01:36

Probiotics and Brain Fog

01:16

How Micro Environments Shape Microbiota

01:14

The Role of Nerve Cells in the Gut-Brain Connection

01:54

Intro

39min

The Impact of Gut Signaling on Appetite and Brain Function

57min

DIY Fermented Foods: Sauerkraut and Kombucha Made Easy

2min

The Impact of Gut Health on Brain Function and Inflammation

15min

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: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://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

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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

The Effect of Fermented Foods on Microbiota Diversity and Inflammation

Probiotics and Brain Fog

How Micro Environments Shape Microbiota

The Role of Nerve Cells in the Gut-Brain Connection

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts