Gut bacteria can have both a beneficial as well as harmful effect on our brain through gut brain connections.
Fermentation of undigested carbohydrates by gut bacteria can produce certain biochemicals that enter body, affecting not just the body but also cross blood-brain barrier and exercise their functions in different parts of the brain.
These neuro-chemicals play a critical role in messaging circuits in the brain and beyond. Other bacterial chemicals are involved in affecting our immune system, and help generate more energy from the cells in the body.
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Potential benefits of pre- and probiotics
All of above indicates that manipulation of diet and gut bacteria by prebiotics/probiotics could bring about a healthier beneficial gut bacteria which in turn would lead to healthy brain.
What is butyrate?
Butyrate, a short chain fatty acid (SCFA), is one such byproduct of food-bacteria interactions in the colon. In fact most of the butyrate in gut is produced by bacterial fermentation of undigested carbohydrates although small amounts may be derived from the food consumed.
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Effects of butyrate
- Energy source for intestinal cells
- Energy source for bacteria themselves
- Effect on various forms of brain including neuro-degenerative diseases and neuro-behavioral dysfunction
According to Drs. Leonel and Alvarez-Leite, one the most prominent roles of butyrate is blocking the enzymes that play a critical role in intestinal health:
- Affecting gene function by turning them on or off
- Affect immune system, both suppressing and/or activating as needed
- Blocking cancer process
- Helping gut wall barrier to prevent leaky gut
- Control of intestinal movements and control diarrhea
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Different diets/bacteria result in different amounts of butyrate production
The fermentation capacity of all the bacteria is not the same, some producing more butyrate than others.
For example, the fermentation by Clostridium, Eubacterium, and Butyrivibrio type of bacteria are the richest source of butyrate in colon.
Foods to consume to get more butyrate
Helpful high fiber foods that are a rich source of butyrate including:
- Whole grains
- Lentils
- Oat bran
- Bananas
- Onions
- Asparagus
- Cellulose
- Gum arabic
On the other hand starch-free wheat bran is a relatively poor source of butyrate.
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Our own body produces butyrate also
Butyrate is also produced by our own body, but that is a very small contribution to the total butyrate we use.
Butyrate directly from food
Cow’s milk is a rich source of butyrate in the form of tributrin. Tributtrin is broken into 3 times the butyrate by the digestive enzymes. Cow milk consumption should be taken in context that caseins in cow's milk may possibly adversely affect brain, although controversial in some quarters.
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How does butyrate affect brain?
It is amazing that a single chemical such as butyrate has affects numerous genes affecting numerous functions. Data indicates that it enhances function of genes that:
- Improve nerve cell adaptability
- Regeneration of nerve tissue
- Protecting nervous tissue against injury
- Enhancing the mitochondrial function in brain which can help to repair the damaged mitochondria in the brain.
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Increasing energy in brain: Alzheimer's analogy
Potential for increasing energy in brain is very exciting. For example, brain cells in Alzheimer’s show decrease in glucose consumption and reduced energy long before memory loss evident.
Henderson and colleagues examined the effect of ketogenic compound AC-1202, a medium chain triglyceride, in patients with Alzheimer’s in a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
Results
- Patients consuming AP-1202 resulted in increased levels of butyrate
- Significant improvement in cognitive function by day 45 as compared to the placebo group
- Cognitive function returns to baseline within two weeks after stopping this dietary supplement
- The results are the best when the treatment starts early in the disease process.
The results of the study suggest that if enough of butyrate as a result of bacterial fermentation in the gut could reach the brain, it would serve as a great energy source for brain just as it does as a food for the colon. This would certainly counter the decreased glucose as a energy source in brain in a variety of neuro-degenerative diseases.
Butyrate and neuro-degenerative diseases
Ferrante and colleagues from the Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA have shown that use of butyrate in mice with Huntington’s disease:
- Protects against nerve toxicity
- Perks up body weight
- Improves muscle functioning
- Prolongs life
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Dr. St Laurent from the Colby College, Waterville, ME that butyrate supplemented food salvaged chemical induced muscle functioning and prevented early death in Parkinson’s disease in animals.
Butyrate also suppresses inflammation in animals with Parkinson’s thus protecting the brain cells from damage.
Hearing
Butyrate protects against hearing loss caused by cancer chemotherapy.
Stroke
Multiple studies have documented that butyrate use limits the size of dead part of brain in stroke along with an improved behavioral function in animals.
Miscellaneous diseases based on animal models
- Alzheimer’s
- Traumatic brain injury
- Brain infections
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Clinical effects of butyrate
- Improve learning
- Improve memory
Diet, bacteria and brain: Butyrate is the connecting link
Typical American diet is much lower in fiber than is recommended. High fiber diet is believed to exert its beneficial effects in variety of diseases via its modification of microbiome, bacterial fermentation and production of short chain fatty acids especially butyrate.
Bacterial fermentation results in production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including butyrate. Most but not all of short chain fatty acids are consumed by gut wall as food, while some is absorbed to get into liver.
A small component of gets into blood stream raising the blood butyrate levels with potential to enter our brain.
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Intestines and brain barrier in animals without gut bacteria
- Intestines of animals without any bacteria tend to be leaky gut as well as leaky blood brain barrier as compared to animals with healthy intestinal bacteria.
- This leakiness is accompanied with leaky tight junctions of the blood brain barrier and lower levels of tight junction proteins in different areas of the brain.
However, if these germ-free mice receive butyrate producing bacteria by mouth, the blood brain barrier is strengthened to healthy normal levels along with increased levels of tight junction proteins.
This illustrates the connection between gut bacteria, butyrate and the brain structure/function.
Is It Leaky Gut or Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Soluble fiber, butyarte, brain inflammation and sickness behavior
Sherry and colleagues from the University of Illinois, Champaign, IL studied the effect of prebiotic soluble fiber on toxin induced inflammation in brain.
Mice were administered toxin. One group received soluble fiber whereas the other was administered insoluble fiber in diet.
Results
- Mice fed soluble fiber suffered lower levels of sickness behavior as compared to the control group receiving insoluble fiber
- There was lower levels of inflammation in the brain
These investigators suggested that butyrate production via bacterial fermentation of the soluble fiber was responsible for the effects on the brain and the behavioral reaction of the animals.
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Posted by: Priscilla | 04/11/2017 at 09:11 PM