How does Wild Kombucha help in lifting up your mood
Do you find yourself feeling low, sluggish or sore lately?
Or are you feeling a bit more stressed out? It could be because your gut health is not at its best. You may wonder how your gut affects mental health and mood problems like depression and anxiety?
This happens through what is known as the gut-brain connection. During early fetal development, your gut and brain both develop from the same clump of cells called neurons that basically tell your body how to behave.
These cells are connected through the vagus nerve, which send signals and brings information bi-directionally from the inner organs, such as gut, liver, and lungs to the brain. Here’s how Wild Kombucha can help in lifting up your mood.
Makes you happy
Your gut and brain are connected through chemicals called neurotransmitters (hormones) that control emotions. Interestingly, a large proportion of happy-mood neurotransmitter – serotonin is produced by your gut cells and the trillions of microbes living in there. This contributes to feelings of happiness and your mood.
Do you know why you feel full and satisfied after a good meal? It’s because of your gut hormones, released from cells of the gastrointestinal system in response to nutrients, controls of food intake, regulates of hunger/satiety and energy by transmitting signals from the gut to the brain.
However, these neurotransmitters are affected when there is inflammation in your gut i.e. from poor lifestyle choices (e.g, processed foods, chronic stress, lack of sleep etc.). Instead of making your happy-mood serotonin, the body uses serotonin to make inflammatory proteins. Inflammation robs your brain of the stuff needed to produce the neurotransmitters that make you happy.
Reduce inflammation
Inflammation in the body can make you feel tired and sluggish. Polyphenols which are antioxidants found in kombuchas may help reduce inflammation and reduce toxins in the liver while promoting better liver function [1].
Random clinical trials (RCT) has also shown depression, anger, hostility, anxiety and stress hormone markers all improved after taking fermented foods/foods with probiotics [3]. Another RCT has shown probiotics make you happier with fewer negative thoughts and sadness [4]. Both studies consisted a mixture of Lactobacillius and Bifidobacterium probiotics found in kombucha.
Helps control stress
Kombucha’s most well known bodily benefit is improved gut health. It contains belly-loving properties known as probiotics that are similar to the good bacteria found in your gut.
Kombucha increases the acidity of the gut which is important in easing digestion and absorbing nutrients from food [4]. Stress is often manifested in the gut as irritable bowel syndrome or ulcer, both of which can be solved by improved digestion and acidity.
Improved concentration
One of the key ingredients in kombucha are vitamins B1 (thiamine), B6, and B12 [4]. These vitamins are known to stabilize mood, improve concentration and help the body fight depression.
Furthermore, it contains Vitamin C which controls the release of cortisol – one of the stress hormones. High levels of cortisol in the blood can result in hypertension, depression and reduced mental clarity.
The foundation premise here is that the gut has a far-reaching impact on our health. It’s interesting that when we address these bacterial overgrowths or the lack thereof, people often experience mood improvements!
Sources:
[1]What is kombucha and why you should be drinking it, 2019, Bobby Berk.com
[2] American Psychology Association, September 2012, Volume 43.
[3] Messaoudi M, Lalonde R, Violle N, Javelot H, Desor D, Nejdi A, Bisson JF, Rougeot C, Pichelin M, Cazaubiel M, Cazaubiel JM. Assessment of psychotropic-like properties of a probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175) in rats and human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2011 Mar;105(5):755-64. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510004319. Epub 2010 Oct 26. PMID: 20974015.
[4] Steenbergen L, Sellaro R, van Hemert S, Bosch JA, Colzato LS. A randomized controlled trial to test the effect of multispecies probiotics on cognitive reactivity to sad mood. Brain Behav Immun. 2015 Aug;48:258-64. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.04.003. Epub 2015 Apr 7. PMID: 25862297.
[5] Alex LaGory and Hannah Crum, 2016, The Big Book of Kombucha: Brewing, Flavoring, and Enjoying the Health Benefits of Fermented Tea.