Yes Really – Your Gut Health Can Affect ADHD Symptoms

Yes Really – Your Gut Health Can Affect ADHD SymptomsThe health of our gut can determine the health of other areas in our bodies. Feeling constipated, it’s time to clear your gut. Been experiencing brain fog? It could mean that you have a poor gut imbalance. Noticed that your ADHD symptoms are out of control? Your gut could be to blame for that as well in some circumstances.

Yup, according to some experts, there’s a connection between our gut and ADHD. George Sachs, co-founder of inflow explains that those with ADHD have to work hard at maintaining balance in their gut so they can manage their symptoms of ADHD.

“One way to do this is by adding more probiotics into our gut. You can do this through a number of different foods,” Sachs says. You should be eating foods like yoghurt, kimchi, or sauerkraut.

“You also need to reduce sugar intake, which is very difficult if you have ADHD but it’s super important,” he adds.

Want to make your gut happier? It’s probably time to chop out the processed foods too.

“Both sugar and processed foods can lead to an imbalance of bad bacteria in our gut, which again causes inflammation and can make our ADHD symptoms worse,” Sachs explains.

Dr. Rabia Topan, a gastroenterologist calls this the ’bi-directional communication’.

“The gut-brain connection is basically communication going bottom up and top down between the brain and the gut. There’s cross communication between these systems. There’s actually four systems involved so your hormones, your immune system, your nervous system, and then your gut bugs,” Topan says.

Sarah-Nicole Bostan, Ph.D., a clinical health psychologist and director of behaviour change strategy at Signos says it’s not widely understood how ADHD and inflammation are linked yet.

Speaking to Healthline, Bostan says “The study of gut-brain interactions is still in its infancy as it relates to functional impairment from mental health symptoms.”

One theory suggests that it could be related to the protective layer around the brain.

“Just like the gut, the brain has a barrier, called the blood-brain barrier,” Jordan Haworth, a gastrointestinal physiologist at the Functional Gut Clinic in Manchester, UK, says.

But, he goes on to say that “we know from studies that increased intestinal permeability is closely linked to a disrupted blood-brain barrier—[although] we can’t be sure what’s causing it.”

Dr. Sarah Cooke, a UK-based general practitioner specialising in nutrition states that there are benefits to some brain inflammation. However, issues can creep up when inflammation takes place for long periods of time.

Cooke says: “Neuroinflammation (inflammation of the brain) has a primary function of protecting the brain against pathogens (disease-causing organisms) via a process which encourages tissues to repair themselves.”

“However, if the inflammatory state is prolonged, then the inflammation can become detrimental and stop the renewal of cells,” Cooke adds.

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How Your Gut Health Can Affect ADHD Symptoms

The health of our gut can have a profound impact on various areas of our bodies. It turns out that there may even be a connection between our gut health and ADHD symptoms. Experts suggest that individuals with ADHD need to maintain a balanced gut in order to manage their symptoms effectively.

One way to achieve this is by increasing the intake of probiotics in our diets. Foods like yoghurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut are good sources of probiotics and should be incorporated into our meals. On the other hand, it is important to reduce sugar intake, which can be challenging for individuals with ADHD. By cutting down on sugar consumption and processed foods, we can maintain a healthier gut, thereby potentially alleviating ADHD symptoms.

Medical professionals refer to this connection between the gut and brain as "bi-directional communication." The gut-brain connection involves communication between the brain and the gut, as well as the hormones, immune system, and gut bacteria.

The exact link between ADHD and inflammation is not yet fully understood. According to Sarah-Nicole Bostan, a clinical health psychologist, the study of gut-brain interactions is still in its early stages as it relates to functional impairment caused by mental health symptoms.

One theory suggests that the protective layer around the brain, known as the blood-brain barrier, may play a role. Studies have shown that increased intestinal permeability is closely linked to a disrupted blood-brain barrier, but the exact cause is still uncertain.

While there are benefits to some degree of brain inflammation, chronic inflammation can lead to problems. Neuroinflammation, or inflammation of the brain, is primarily meant to protect the brain against pathogens. However, if the inflammatory state persists for a long time, it can hinder the renewal of cells and have detrimental effects.

In conclusion, maintaining a healthy gut may be beneficial for individuals with ADHD. By adding more probiotics to our diets, reducing sugar and processed food intake, and addressing gut imbalances, we may be able to alleviate ADHD symptoms. The connection between gut health and ADHD is still being explored, but understanding and improving this connection could potentially lead to better treatment and management of ADHD.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/your-gut-health-can-affect-adhd-symptoms_uk_64c7b518e4b0fd06594c826b