Is Your Gut Controlling Your Mind? The Surprising Gut–Brain Connection
The Gut–Brain Axis: How Your Gut Affects Your Mind
Did you know your gut is often called your second brain? That’s because your digestive system and your brain are connected through a powerful communication network called the gut–brain axis.
Inside your gut lives a community of trillions of bacteria—known as your gut microbiome. These microbes don’t just help you digest food—they also create neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which influence your mood, focus, and sense of calm.
In fact, around 90% of serotonin (your “happy chemical”) is produced in the gut, not in the brain! So when your gut health is off, your mental health can take a hit too—causing anxiety, low mood, brain fog, or poor focus.
ADHD, Anxiety, and Gut Health: What’s the Connection?
If you live with ADHD or mood swings, you might have already noticed a link between what you eat and how you feel. Research suggests that people with ADHD often have imbalances in gut bacteria, which may affect dopamine regulation—the neurotransmitter responsible for motivation, focus, and reward.
An unhappy gut can mean unstable energy, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. Supporting your gut microbiome may help reduce these symptoms naturally and improve mental clarity.
How to Support Gut Health for Better Mood & Focus
Here are some simple, evidence-based ways to nourish your gut and, in turn, your mind:
1. Add Probiotics for a Happier Gut: Probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria that help balance your microbiome and support serotonin production. You can get them from:
- Yogurt with live cultures
- Kefir (a fermented milk or coconut drink)
- Sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso
- Kombucha (a fermented tea)
If you prefer a supplement, choose a multi-strain probiotic with Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species.
2. Feed Your Friendly Bacteria (Prebiotics): Good bacteria need food to thrive. Prebiotic-rich foods like bananas, garlic, onions, asparagus, and oats act as fuel for your microbiome.
3. Boost Magnesium for Calm and Focus: Magnesium plays a huge role in gut motility, relaxation, and stress response. Many people with ADHD or anxiety are deficient in it. Add more through foods like leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, or consider a magnesium glycinate supplement—a gentle, well-absorbed form.
4. Include Fermented Foods Daily: Fermented foods naturally boost good bacteria and can reduce inflammation. Start with small amounts—like a tablespoon of sauerkraut or a few sips of kombucha—and increase slowly.
5. Ditch Artificial Sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose can disrupt gut bacteria and increase anxiety in sensitive people. Swap them for natural alternatives like honey, maple syrup, or stevia.
Your Gut Is Talking — Are You Listening?
The connection between gut health and mental wellbeing is too strong to ignore. Pay attention to how you feel after eating certain foods—do some meals leave you sluggish or irritable, while others make you feel calm and clear-headed?
Try keeping a simple food and mood journal for a week. You might be surprised by what you discover.
Try DR.Vegan's Gut works and see how your mood changes.