When we feel it anxiety and anxiety overwhelms us, our diet can change dramatically. Whenever stress “hits” the red, we can take solace in the fact that while they may comfort us in the short term, they are popular “comfort foods” that hurt us in the long run, while offering emotional security and comfort.
Now the news research The University of Colorado Boulder shows that this strategy not only doesn’t work for us, it can actually make us more stressed.
According to a study in laboratory animals, a high-fat diet disrupts gut bacteria, changes behavior, and through a complex pathway that connects the gut. the brain affects brain chemicals in a way that increases anxiety.
“Everyone knows that these are not healthy foods, but we ignore their effects on the brain and focus on the small weight gain that can result from their excessive consumption,” the researchers say.
What research has shown about high-fat diets
The group of researchers divided the experimental animals into two groups. The first followed a standard diet containing 11% fat for nine weeks, and the other followed a high-fat diet (45%) consisting mainly of saturated fat from animal products.
According to the findings, the group showed a high-fat diet get fat and showed significantly less diversity in gut bacteria. In general, more bacteria is associated with better health, the researchers explain.
The same group showed higher expression of three genes (tph2, htr1a and slc6a4) involved in the production and signaling of the neurotransmitter serotonin, particularly in the stress-related brain region.
As it relates to serotonin good mood the researchers note that when certain subsets of serotonin neurons are activated, they can cause anxiety-like responses in animals.
“The high-fat diet group had the molecular signature of a higher stress state,” the researchers said.
Why do they increase stress?
Although they haven’t found a definitive answer, researchers suspect it’s unhealthy the microbiome disrupts the intestinal lining, allowing bacteria to “slide” into the body’s circulation and communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve, which travels from the gastrointestinal tract to the brain.
However, the issue needs further investigation to determine how these findings “translate” to the human body.