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Podcast Episode 19: How your gut affects your mental health
How does our gut health influence our brain, and what role does serotonin play in this? Amandine De Paepe speaks with Dr. Chris van der Linden about the impact of the gut-brain connection on mental balance and health. They highlight how neurotransmitters like serotonin, 90% of which is produced in the gut, control our mood and stress levels. Additionally, Dr. van der Linden shares insights on the effects of hormonal fluctuations, such as those during menopause, on our well-being.
Our guest is no ordinary guest. Dr. van der Linden has known Amandine for quite some time; they met when Amandine sought his help following an accident with head trauma. Today, they share the same mission: helping people age healthily through lifestyle adjustments.
About founder Amandine De Paepe
Bestselling author and food scientist Amandine de Paepe enjoyed an extensive university education. Among other things, she studied biomedical sciences, nutritional sciences and obtained a European master's degree in nutritional sciences at the universities of Wageningen (NL), Cork (Ireland), Lund (Sweden) and Paris (FR). After her international career in the pharmaceutical sector, she threw herself into medical nutritional advice which she combined with analyses such as specific blood tests, DNA or sugar tests and personalized supplements. Over the years, Amandine turned her passion into her life's work. Today, she is the inspirer behind Insentials, the Belgian brand of vitamins & supplements.
About Dr. Chris van der Linden
Dr. Chris van der Linden, a neurologist, completed his training at the prestigious Harvard University in Boston and the University of Texas in the United States. After specializing in movement disorders at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, he settled in Ghent, where he worked at the University Hospital of Ghent. Until October 2021, Dr. van der Linden was affiliated as a neurologist with the St. Lucas Hospital in Ghent. He worked with patients with movement disorders, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and more. Currently, he is active in his own Center for Neurology and Orthomolecular Medicine on the Coupure in Ghent.
Too many pills
Dr. van der Linden explains that lifestyle adjustments are very broad. They involve dietary changes, exercise, and the correct use of dietary supplements. He points out that there is a wide range of approaches to help people age healthily with as little medication as possible. In medicine, there is still too little focus on prevention. It’s immediately pills, pills, pills, and then you’ll get better. But medication should be minimized in the future.
The only way to achieve this is to make people aware from a young age of how they can live healthily without quickly developing diseases and conditions like diabetes, immunological disorders, stress, etc. Moreover, this is much more economical. A country incurs far fewer costs when people can live healthier lives. Amandine responds that people often forget that medication also has many side effects.
The link between the gut and the brain
As a neurologist, Dr. van der Linden is, of course, well-versed in the brain. What is often greatly underestimated, however, is the connection between the brain and our gut. Neurotransmitters are chemicals in our brain responsible for signal transmission. The word "neuro" in neurotransmitters thus refers to the brain. However, many of these neurotransmitters, like dopamine and serotonin, are also found in our gut. For serotonin, our happiness hormone, the highest concentration is actually located in the gut. When you realize that 90% of our serotonin is produced in the gut and only 10% in the brain, it’s not surprising that an imbalance in the gut also impacts our mental well-being.
The taboo around mental well-being
The connection between the brain and gut is well-established. This can occur either through the bloodstream or via the vagus nerve, a nerve that runs from the brain to various organs in our chest and abdominal cavities. Problems can arise in the brain originating from the gut, for example, in people with a leaky gut. In this condition, the gut wall becomes overly permeable, allowing toxic substances from the gut to slowly make their way to the brain. There, they can eventually disrupt the brain, impacting our mental well-being.
Amandine points out that mental well-being is increasingly discussed, yet it remains a taboo. Dr. van der Linden agrees. 200 to 300 years ago, people had far fewer stimuli. In today’s society, our brains are under constant pressure, with continuous stimuli and stress, making it understandable that we can break down mentally.
Gut and mental health during menopause
Amandine and Dr. van der Linden also discuss the link between the gut and the mental health of women during menopause. Everyone knows that major hormonal fluctuations occur during menopause. These hormonal changes can bring a host of physical symptoms, such as the dreaded hot flashes. But according to Dr. van der Linden, these changes also impact the neurotransmitter system. Even women of reproductive age can already be affected by this process. We see, for instance, that the microbiome of women varies during different periods of the cycle. So our hormones influence our microbiome, which in turn can affect the balance of neurotransmitters.
More attention to the gut
"If the cause can lie in the gut, why isn't the gut examined more often?" Amandine asks. According to Dr. van der Linden, this is fortunately being done more and more. The gut microbiome is already well known to a large portion of the population. To examine this microbiome, a stool analysis can be performed. This analysis looks at the ratio of different bacteria. When there's an imbalance between good and less beneficial bacteria, which should keep each other in balance, it may be decided to supplement a specific type of bacteria. You need to have a large number of certain good bacteria in your gut. If this is not the case, it can potentially be supplemented with probiotics. Keeping our microbiome healthy is essential to prevent a leaky gut and avoid low-grade inflammation. Dr. van der Linden mentions that a leaky gut can be detected through a blood test. Administering the Akkermansia bacterium can be very helpful in healing a leaky gut. Glutamine can also have a restorative effect.
The cause of a disrupted gut microbiome
Dr. van der Linden indicates that lifestyle is crucial for our gut microbiome. However, the negative impact of medications should not be underestimated either. Proton pump inhibitors, or stomach acid suppressants, are prescribed far too often. Long-term use can lead to gut issues. Stomach acid is necessary for proper digestion of food.
The same goes for other types of medication, such as antidepressants. These are often prescribed for the long term without periodically checking if the dosage can be reduced or discontinued.
The power of physical activity is also significant. Exercise, especially in nature, has a positive effect on our mental well-being, circulation in the gut, and much more. Amandine notes that children nowadays play with their phones during breaks at school, instead of moving around.
And then there's one of the most important factors—the foundation of everything: our diet. According to Dr. van der Linden, we should avoid processed foods as much as possible. We should completely avoid foods with E-numbers and eat as organically as possible. Processed foods affect our gut microbiome. This doesn't mean you should never touch a hamburger again, but it should truly be an exception.
Take matters into your own hands
Finally, Amandine and Dr. van der Linden discuss the fact that antidepressants are still frequently prescribed, along with other medications that perhaps could have been avoided. Unfortunately, most general practitioners lack the time to have in-depth conversations with their patients.
In fact, parents already have a responsibility to care for their child’s microbiome by, for example, serving enough fresh vegetables. Dr. van der Linden explains that it begins at birth. Studies have shown that babies born via C-section already have a disadvantage, as they do not receive the necessary bacteria through the vaginal canal to establish their microbiome. This can lead to chronic gut issues, immunological disorders, inflammation, and more over time.
As adults, it’s essential to continue caring for your gut microbiome by making healthy lifestyle choices and, if needed, restoring your gut microbiome.
Dr. van der Linden also emphasizes the importance of staying critical when prescribed medication and paying attention to potential side effects.