Gut Microbiota Aids Sleep and Enhances Health (Part TWO)
The Dangers of Sleep Disorders
- Inflammatory responses and reduced immunity
- Increased stress, depression, and emotional volatility, heightening susceptibility to psychiatric disorders
- Digestive system disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Liver diseases including cirrhosis and fatty liver inflammation
- Elevated risk of chronic illnesses and cardiovascular diseases
- Obesity, as disrupted circadian rhythms send erroneous signals leading to overeating and calorie accumulation
How to Improve Sleep
Nutrient intake can effectively enhance sleep quality.
Vitamin B6
Research on insomnia reveals significantly heightened vitamin B6 catabolism within the gut microbiota of sufferers, leading to host deficiency.
Folate
Folate participates in myelin formation, is abundant in cerebrospinal fluid and extracellular fluid, alleviates insomnia caused by depression, and plays a vital role in mental and emotional health.
Magnesium
Magnesium supplements are sometimes used to treat sleep disorders, improving sleep quality and reducing sleep latency (the time taken to fall asleep). One study found that 500mg daily improved insomnia symptoms in the elderly.
Zinc
Alongside magnesium, zinc promotes sleep by enhancing neural metabolism. Regular consumption of seafood, nuts, and whole grains aids zinc supplementation.
Probiotic Intervention
Probiotics like Bifidobacterium Animalis Subsp. lactis F1-7 is live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when present in sufficient quantities. Strains capable of producing sleep-regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) and dopamine, promoting butyrate production from short-chain fatty acids, or effectively maintaining gut microbial diversity may be selected. This aims to improve sleep via the gut-brain axis.
Strain experiment
Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis F1-7
enhance the expression levels of serotonin and its receptor proteins.
N: Normal group, M: Model group, P: Model + Positive drug group, KGM+F1-7: Model + F1-7 + Konjac Glucomannan oligosaccharides group.
The tryptophan level in the model group was higher than that in the normal group, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). After intervention with the KGM+F1-7 composition, the tryptophan level in constipated mice decreased significantly, reaching a level comparable to that of the normal group.
The tryptamine level in the model group was lower than that in the normal group, and the difference between the model group and the normal group was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The serotonin derived from tryptamine stimulates local intestinal neural reflexes, initiating intestinal secretion and propulsive motility.
Following gavage administration of the KGM+F17 compound, expression of the 5-HT4G protein receptor, which senses tryptamine, increased significantly.
LacticaseiBacillus Paracasei X11 Increase intestinal serotonin
Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei X11 significantly enhances serotonin expression levels. The increased SERT activity demonstrates elevated serotonin concentrations within the body, successfully exerting physiological effects.
Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei X11 restores microbial diversity within the mouse gut.
Microbiome analysis of mouse faeces was conducted using 16S rRNA MiSeq sequencing. Results revealed reduced gut microbial diversity in the MOD group, which moderately recovered following treatment with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei X11.
Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis F1-7 enhances short-chain fatty acid concentration.
Following administration of the KGM+F1-7 formulation, significantly elevated levels of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid were detected in the faeces of constipated mice, confirming that the KGM+F1-7 formulation increases short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations.
One-third of human life is spent asleep, with each sleep cycle serving as the body's major clean-up period. Sleep not only aids organ metabolism in eliminating waste but also influences gut health. Conversely, the circadian rhythm of gut microbiota impacts sleep patterns. Cultivating a healthy gut microbiome is a powerful ally in achieving restful sleep.