The Gut-Brain Axis and Appetite
The gut communicates with the brain via the vagus nerve, hormones and microbial metabolites, influencing appetite and satiety.
2 September 2026Read →
Microbiome science, probiotic strains, CFU counts and what the human evidence supports.
The gut communicates with the brain via the vagus nerve, hormones and microbial metabolites, influencing appetite and satiety.
Soluble fibre needs water to gel and function, and increasing fibre without fluid frequently causes constipation and discomfort.
Resistant starch resists digestion in the small intestine and ferments in the colon, behaving more like fibre than starch.
Certain digestive symptoms are red flags that require medical assessment rather than self-management.
Probiotic effects generally require ongoing intake because most strains do not permanently colonise the gut.
Dietary change alters gut microbial composition within days, though long-term patterns dominate overall structure.
Polyphenols from berries, tea, cocoa and vegetables are largely metabolised by gut bacteria, which shapes both their effects and the mi
Most immune tissue sits in and around the gut, and certain probiotic strains have modest evidence for reducing respiratory infection du
Live-culture dairy products deliver bacteria alongside protein and calcium, at a cost per serving far below most supplements.
Constipation is infrequent or difficult stool passage, usually managed with fibre, fluid, movement and routine before medication.
Digestive enzyme supplements replace or supplement the enzymes the body produces to break down food.
Sleep quality and gut microbial composition influence each other through circadian rhythms and immune signalling.
Shirataki noodles are made from konjac flour and deliver glucomannan in food form at very low calorie density.
The 30-plants-a-week guideline comes from research linking plant diversity with greater microbiome diversity.
Intestinal permeability is a real, measurable property of the gut lining; 'leaky gut syndrome' as a standalone diagnosis is not recogni
Antibiotics reduce microbial diversity, with most recovery occurring over weeks to months.
Fermented foods deliver live cultures alongside fibre, nutrients and fermentation by-products; supplements deliver isolated strains at
Some probiotic strains have shown small effects on body weight and fat mass in trials, with results that vary widely by strain.
Bloating is a sensation of abdominal fullness or distension, with causes ranging from normal gas production to intolerance and function
Short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate are produced when gut bacteria ferment fibre, and they fuel colon cells and influence appetite
Probiotics are live bacteria, prebiotics are the fibres that feed them, and synbiotics combine both in one product.
Probiotic effects are demonstrated for specific strains, identified by codes after the species name, not for species as a whole.
Bifidobacteria are among the dominant beneficial genera in the human gut, involved in fibre fermentation and gut barrier support.
Akkermansia muciniphila is a mucin-degrading gut bacterium associated with better metabolic markers and studied as a next-generation pr
The gut microbiome is the community of bacteria in the digestive tract, and its composition differs between lean and obese populations.