The vagus nerve and our gut-brain connection

Often times I think that what we eat plays an important role in our well being. And it does. But sometimes communication between our gut and the rest of our body is the crucial issue. This is where the vagus nerve enters.

The vagus nerve travels throughout the body and connects our brain to some very important organs, including our heart, liver, and lungs. Think of this conduit as being responsible for the mind-body connection as it weaves itself throughout most of our organs.

It also connects our head to our gut. This connection plays a vital role in how we feel. Food sensitivities, brain fog, fatigue, and anxiety can each arise from an inability of the vagus nerve to transmit data. Even knowing when we are hungry is relayed by this nerve.

The digestive system has a great deal of autonomy in regards to how it operates. Our brain, though, will provide additional signals that integrate and align gut functions with the rest of our body.

When this nerve is operating at its best our digestive juices, and other gut functions, are adequately regulated. It is responsible for signaling our body to produce a substance called intrinsic factor in the stomach, this helps us absorb vitamin B12. When it triggers histamine in the stomach we get an increase of acid necessary to break down food.

Sometimes this nerve gets over activated. Stimulation can happen when we are sitting on the toilet going to the bathroom. This may be why we feel good afterwards. But if we put too much pressure on this nerve we can actually pass out while on the toilet.

We can also pass out while standing if the stress response is too great and blood gets restricted to our brain. This is communicated by signals travelling through the vagus nerve.

Both blood pressure and heart rate are monitored and adjusted through this network. One of the chemicals responsible for this is called acetylcholine. When it is released things start to slow down and we relax.

But too often this nerve can be under stimulated and we get stressed for too long. Being able to calm down quickly depends upon a strong vagal response. The vagus nerve is deemed responsible for our “rest and digest” responses. This is opposite of the “fight or flight” response.

Our gut is in constant communication with our brain. Electrical impulses called “action potentials” tell our brain how we are feeling. Keeping the microbiome in our gut in balance supports positive signaling through the messages they send.

There has been interesting research suggesting the vagal response plays a role in chronic inflammation. Stimulating vagus nerve signals to the brain was shown to be anti-inflammatory.

Sensitivity, and thus less activity, of the nerve can be reduced by accident or trauma to the brain. Toxic exposures, infections, and diabetes can be factors, along with a poor diet.

There is some evidence that eating more fat, healthy fat, can increase the performance of the vagus nerve. Slowing down or holding your breath for a few seconds can also have a positive affect. So can cold showers, intermittent fasting, and laughing.

The myelin sheath that wraps around a nerve cell directs impulses, insulates, and protects parts of the nerve. This sheath is vulnerable to high sugar diets, poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, and toxins.

Nutrients play a role in myelin formation. Because this sheath can deteriorate with age, eating the right fats and supporting our cellular energy production can be important for good vagal response.

Come of down to talk more about this.

Scott Porter, a functional medicine pharmacist, is the director of the Center for Functional Nutrition at Sandpoint Super Drug.