The gut and brain are constantly communicating and influencing each other. This interaction is called the gut-brain axis. It means that what goes on in the gut can affect how the brain performs, influencing how we think, feel and behave. In this article, we explore the gut-brain connection and how the brain and the gut, our second brain, influence each other.
In this article, we’re going to learn about mitohormesis, the activity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as signaling molecules, and how and why ROS can be both beneficial and harmful. We will also discuss what leads to excessive ROS production and accumulation, how this associates with aging, and where antioxidants fit into the equation. Lastly, we’ll discuss nutritional strategies that can support the antioxidant defenses cells and mitochondria use to protect themselves against excessive ROS.
Similar to many other cellular processes, the creation of new mitochondria (a process called mitochondrial biogenesis), and the interacting pathways that influence it, suffers with aging. This is the bad news. The good news is that there are things we can do to better support maintaining a fitter mitochondrial network.
The gut microbiota influences many aspects of human physiology, from metabolism, to the cardiovascular system or the nervous system, for example. In this article, we focus on the interaction between the gut microbiota and our immune system.
Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator (i.e., a messenger molecule released by nerve cells to signal and regulate other nerve cells). It plays important roles in cognitive function, most notably, in the neural mechanisms of memory. In addition to this memory function, acetylcholine is involved in supporting alertness, attention, and learning. It is also responsible for the neuromuscular junction. It helps skeletal muscle contract and has many health benefits.
What is glutamate? Learn more about the most abundant neurotransmitter and how it affects our brains.
Nootropics are active compounds that act on the central nervous system to enhance cognitive function. There are myriad compounds with nootropic activity, each targeting different elements of the vast assortment of processes that give rise to cognitive function.
