Our ancestors regularly consumed prebiotics through fermented foods, such as sourdough bread, before the advent of modern food preservation practices. Our gastrointestinal system tolerates the natural fermentation process that produces prebiotic soluble fiber well.
Unfortunately, many current prebiotic supplements, including fructooligosaccharides (FOS), oligofructose, and inulin-type prebiotics, often cause side effects. These include bloating, gas, and gastrointestinal irritation. Nevertheless, the right prebiotic fiber is necessary to nourish one’s healthy bacteria in the colon. Unfortunately, modern food intake is lacking in prebiotics.
The Importance of Prebiotics in Nutrient Absorption
Consuming prebiotic soluble fiber promotes the growth of cells in the colon wall. This improves the colon’s ability to absorb iron, calcium, magnesium, and other important minerals. Chemically speaking, existing bacteria in the colon ferment prebiotic fiber, manufacturing short-chain fatty acids and decreasing the colonic wall pH. This increases the cell division rate in the wall of the colon, enhancing its passive diffusion of these necessary nutrients.
The connection between the gut and the brain that leads to PD may start in the peripheral nerves of the gut. It can then spread to the central nervous system via the vagus nerve. Researchers in Stockholm, Sweden published a study in Neurology in April 2017 which showed that there was a decreased risk for PD in patients who had surgery that cut branches of the vagus nerve, i.e., vagotomy, in order to reduce the secretion of gastric juice so as to decrease the recurrence of stomach ulcers.
This decreased risk for PD was evident when the patient had a truncal vagotomy which prevents nerve stimulation to multiple organs of the gut. In contrast, a selective vagotomy which retards nerve stimulation to just the stomach was not effective in lowering this risk, as cell-to-cell transmission of the precursors to PD could still find its way to the vagus nerve and eventually to the brainstem.
The precursory involvement of the gastrointestinal (GI) system with PD is verified by the fact that many patients suffering from PD had developed constipation many years or decades before the onset of the motor symptoms. Studies have shown that nervous precursors of Parkinson’s disease can be detected in GI nerves up to 20 years before the final diagnosis. Termed Braak’s hypothesis, the earliest signs of PD, Lewy bodies and alpha-synuclein deposits, are found in the enteric nervous system which regulates the functions of the GI tract.
Researchers understand that a vagotomy is not a practical treatment for preventing Parkinson’s disease. Fortunately, it is probable that specific diets can prevent the biological formation of those nervous precursors and their transmission through the central nervous system (CNS) to the brain. This is because peripheral nerves of the GI system are affected by oral therapeutics, specifically prebiotics and probiotics.
The Enteric Nervous System (ENS) and Its Vital Role
The enteric nervous system (ENS) consists of two thin layers with over 100 million cells. It lines the GI tract from the esophagus to the rectum. Its functions include regulating swallowing, and digestion, discharging enzymes to breakdown food, governing blood flow for nutrient absorption, and elimination of urine and feces. The ENS communicates with the CNS by way of the vagus nerve. Various researchers have discovered that disturbances of the GI system, including irritable bowel syndrome and functional bowel problems, send messages to the CNS that activate emotional shifts and mood changes, e.g., depression and anxiety.
Probiotics and Mental Health: Depression and Anxiety
In June 2017, research conducted at the University of Milan in Italy highlighted the benefits of probiotics. They were found to help reduce cardinal symptoms in patients with mild to moderate depression. Results from preclinical and clinical studies had shown that consumption of probiotics had significantly caused a symptom-reduction of disturbed mood and troubled sleep after 4 weeks. A heightened mood was evident after 8 weeks. These positive results were attributed to the gut-brain connection. This mechanism reduces inflammation and increases serotonin levels.
People can safely ingest probiotics over extended periods compared to standard antidepressant medications. Notably, up to 60% of patients stop taking their medications within the first three months. This is often due to side effects such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, sexual dysfunction, and suicidal thoughts. People with mild to moderate depressive symptoms should take the Probio Stick (a combination of two bacteria strains that act on the gut-brain axis) once a day.
Consuming prebiotics and probiotics provides numerous health benefits. Along with improving symptoms associated with digestive disorders, they reduce inflammatory and allergic reactions, including atopic dermatitis. Additionally, they assist in lowering cholesterol and triglycerides and enhance blood glucose stability in individuals with type II diabetes. Probiotics and prebiotics also help normalize the body after antibiotic use and inhibit enzymes responsible for forming carcinogens in the colon.
The Numerous Health Benefits of Prebiotics and Probiotics
Consuming prebiotics and probiotics offers a wide range of health benefits, including:
- Improving symptoms of digestive disorders
- Reducing inflammatory and allergic reactions
- Lowering cholesterol and triglycerides
- Stabilizing blood glucose levels in type II diabetes
- Restoring gut health after antibiotics
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