Is the food you're eating affecting your mental health?

A few years ago, two Australians underwent a treatment called faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), whereby they received poop transplants (yes, you read that right) from another individual. Both had been long-term sufferers of bipolar disorder, and had tried various treatment methods over the years to no avail. Since the FMT, reports have shown that both patients no longer experience bipolar symptoms. 

If the words “faecal transplant” are making you baulk, think again – after all, there is growing evidence that they can help cure extreme cases of mental health disorders. 

“FMT is a comprehensive approach where faecal material from a healthy donor, containing a diverse community of bacteria, is transplanted into the recipient’s gut,” explains Gwendoline Tan, chief innovation officer at Amili, a gut microbiome company and research lab based in Singapore. 

But don’t go calling your gastroenterologist just yet. Though there are a couple of successful case studies, researchers are still gathering evidence about its efficacy. The treatment is also not available in Singapore for mental health disorders. While the data points are still inconclusive, they add to the bank of growing evidence that there is a connection between our gut and our brain. 

Gwendoline refers to a recent case report published by Amili in collaboration with Dr Reuben Wong, a gastroenterologist and founding partner of digestive care specialists Gutcare. 

She says: “The study outlined the relationship between the gut microbiome and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After Dr Wong performed the FMT, initially intended to address recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (caused by a germ of the same name that causes diarrhoea and the inflation of the colon), on a 22-year-old woman, the research uncovered an unexpected alleviation of her ADHD symptoms.” 

Happy stomach, happy life

Often referred to as our second brain, our gut is home to our microbiome, which essentially is a combination of bacteria, fungi and viruses that helps the body function. 

When the microbiome is unbalanced, it can lead to several issues. Mili Kale, co-founder of supplements company Moom Health, explains: “An unhealthy gut can show up in your body as anything from a troubled digestive system, to a lack of energy, to acne and skin irritations, to sudden weight gain – to name a few. Your gut is so closely linked to all functions in your body.” 

This was a theory first postulated more than 70 years ago by dermatologists John H. Stokes and Donald M. Pillsbury, who posited that our gastrointestinal system could impact our skin, as well as our mental health.

In recent years, an increasing amount of research has found definite links between our gut health and our physiological functioning, including our physical and mental health. Scientists and doctors have also reported that an imbalanced gut can lead to anxiety, stress, and chronic fatigue. 

Much like how it’s quite difficult to attribute air pollution as a definitive cause of an unhealthy lung, similarly, it’s hard to pinpoint an unhealthy gut as the cause of your anxiety. We often link our mental stresses to our lifestyles, our griefs and our traumas. Few would think to attribute feeling low to the composition of our gut microbiota. 

“The gut-brain axis is a bidirectional pathway that connects the gut and the brain. This means that the gut can send signals to the brain, and the brain can send signals to the gut. There is a growing body of research that suggests that an unhealthy gut can disrupt this communication pathway, leading to changes in mood and behaviour,” says Gwendoline.  

“The gut microbiota produces a variety of compounds that can affect the brain, including neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, that are involved in mood regulation. 

“Gut microbiota also produces short-chain fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. When the gut microbiota is out of balance, it can lead to changes in brain function and mood. This can contribute to the development of mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety.” 

Nutritional health coach Jasmin Dhillon offers an example of a client struggling with weight, anger management issues and frequent bloating. To address these problems, Jasmin focused on dietary changes by removing highly processed foods and sugars from her diet, and incorporating more vegetables, fermented food, and proteins. 

Apart from losing weight, the client also reported that her mood had become more positive. 

Does eating clean help with better digestion?

Socrates once posited that you are what you think – but the Greek philosopher should have added: You are also what you eat. 

Modern researchers have indicated that poor gut health is due to the fact that our diets have changed dramatically since our “caveman” days.

A recent study by researchers at Stanford University explored the impact of our current diets on our microbiome. They examined the Hadza, a group of hunter-gatherers from Tanzania, who are the closest examples we have to our forager ancestors. 

A study of the stool of 350 Hadza members found that they had a more diverse gut microbiome than the rest of us living in developed societies, possibly because their diets depend on seasonal availability of the food they forage and hunt. 

Jasmin explains: “Despite life and technology propelling forward at a crazy rate, our bodies haven’t caught up to this change, and from an evolutionary perspective, we are still biologically the same as our ancestors.” She adds that our diets of highly processed foods and refined sugars  – which are not consumed by the Hadzas – don’t help.  

Making gut-friendly meals more accessible

Experts suggest that a combination of diet, supplements and lifestyle changes can help improve our gut health. 

“There’s a tendency to resort to quick fixes, like over-the-counter antacids or probiotic supplements, without addressing the root cause, which often lies in the diet,” says Poh Mui Hoon, co-founder of Esseplore, the parent company of Umami Chefs. “We need to see a cultural shift towards understanding the far-reaching impacts of gut health, and making more informed dietary choices.” 

To that end, Umami Chefs was established to fill a gap for healthy, nutritional ready-to-heat meals that are available at an affordable price. A ready-to-heat main dish at Umami Chefs starts from $6.45, and features a combination of vegetables, proteins and ingredients that are beneficial for gut health. 

“People often think they have to compromise taste for health, but we wanted to prove that you can have the best of both worlds,” says Mui Hoon. 

Umami Chefs recently partnered with Amili to conduct a study on the effects of their meals on a group of 19 participants over two weeks. 

Mui Hoon explains: “Umami chefs and Amili dieticians cooperatively crafted nutritionally balanced dishes, made with fresh ingredients, without preservatives or additives. Dishes were then paired with rice, konjac rice, or lentils to meet the daily nutritional requirements.”

While the sample size was small, the results were telling: When the participants were tested after two weeks, the study found an increased amount of microbes that have anti-inflammatory properties, and help in maintaining the overall gut lining, while offering some protective effects against some diseases.  

Mui Hoon acknowledges that while more research is needed, the findings are promising thus far. “The study found that there were positive changes in health-beneficial microbes reported one week into the intervention. All participants who were presented with mild or active inflammatory processes at baseline demonstrated significant improvement,” she says.

We’re only just beginning to unravel the science behind our gut’s influence on our brain and mental well-being, but as the evidence piles up, it might just be worth thinking twice before ordering that fast food meal while burning the midnight oil. 

Trust your gut on that.