Gut Health and Migraines: Probiotics and the Gut-Brain Axis
Migraines are more than just headaches — they are often debilitating experiences. While some drugs may help reduce your suffering, prescription drugs usually have some side effects, and the exact cause of migraine headaches is poorly understood. However, some research suggests that migraines may be related to gut health. As such, your measures to improve gut health and migraines may be the same. It’s all connected to what experts call the gut-brain axis.
The Gut-Brain Axis
The gut and brain are connected through nerves, metabolic signals, and endocrine pathways. Neurotransmitters in the gut regulate the enteric nervous system (ENS), which oversees many unconscious bodily functions. The ENS is a bidirectional communication system; the gut sends signals to the brain, and the brain sends signals to the gut.
Probiotic bacteria in the colon convert components from our food into compounds called postbiotic metabolites, many of which get absorbed. A recent study reported that as much as 36% of the low-molecular compounds in the blood are postbiotic metabolites derived from gut microbiota. After being absorbed, some of these metabolites have an impact on the brain as well.
Numerous studies have discussed the gut-brain axis and how gut bacteria affect mental health. Hence, gut microbes affect your moods, emotions, and mental health. Improving the composition of probiotic bacteria in your gut can affect the brain in several ways. Conversely, if your gut’s microbiome is out of balance, it may lead to issues with the brain, including migraines and headaches.
What’s the Connection Between Gut Health and Migraines?
In recent years, thousands of scientific studies have been published on the gut-brain axis, and much of this research provides an understanding of the link between gut health and migraines. For example, studies have reported that postbiotic metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) get absorbed into systemic circulation. This allows them to communicate with the brain in several ways. In addition to influencing signaling brain pathways, SCFAs also help prevent neurological damage to brain cells.i
The authors of a study published in Frontiers in Neurology stated, “This study confirms a causal relationship between the gut microbiota and migraines.” ii This provides a new perspective on the cause and possible treatments for migraine headaches.
While there’s still research to be done in this area, there is some reason to believe that an imbalance in the gut’s microbiome may contribute to migraine headaches. One of the main contributing factors seems to be inflammation.
Migraines and Neuroinflammation
While there may be multiple causes of migraines, an increasing number of studies report a link between gut dysbiosis and migraine headaches. Gut dysbiosis causes inflammation, which breaks down tight junction proteins. This creates intestinal permeability, which allows inflammatory compounds to pass from the gut into the body. When they reach the brain, they cause inflammation, which weakens the blood-brain barrier. Thus, a leaky gut can cause a leaky blood-brain barrier. This allows harmful substances to enter the brain, which may cause inflammation in the brain and trigger migraines.iii
Imaging studies have reported that individuals who experience migraines may have increased levels of inflammation in the brain. For instance, a study published in 2019 used PET/MRI scans to examine the brains of 13 people who regularly suffered from migraines and compared them to the brains of healthy controls. The results showed an association between migraines and inflammatory triggers in the brain.iv Inflammation in the brain appears to be linked to migraines.
Inflammation and Leaky Gut
As mentioned above, inflammatory substances can enter the bloodstream. Inflammatory compounds may leak into the body, leading to inflammation and compromising the immune system. These harmful substances may reach the brain, potentially resulting in neuroinflammation, creating a permeable blood-brain barrier, and increasing the likelihood of migraine headaches.v
Gut Health and Headaches
A growing body of research shows a correlation between the gut-brain axis and migraines. Various studies show an association between gut microbiome imbalances, migraines, and other conditions often associated with leakage from the gut. Celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and Helicobacter pylori infections are all associated with both migraines and leaky gut.vi
Healing the Gut Barrier
Studies now conclusively confirm that bacterial imbalance or dysbiosis results in gut inflammation. This inflammation damages the gut lining, causing intestinal permeability or “leaky gut,” associated with migraine headaches.vii Thus, efforts to correct dysbiosis and heal the gut may help prevent migraines. However, it has become apparent that oral probiotic supplements are ineffective for correcting these gut problems. This was explained in a brief article titled The Oral Probiotic Dilemma.
Two Steps to Heal the Gut
Improving the diet and taking postbiotic metabolites are two critical ways to help heal gut inflammation and intestinal permeability problems. Let’s take a closer look at these two considerations.
Diet
Probiotic bacteria convert substances in food into compounds called postbiotic metabolites. Postbiotic metabolites are critical in maintaining a healthy intestinal environment and/or correcting dysbiosis and inflammation. Their importance cannot be overestimated because they provide a wide range of health-regulating activities.
Unfortunately, people today consume far too much processed food. In fact, studies report that 80-95% of American children and adults do not consume adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables, which are the primary source of the dietary fiber and polyphenols that probiotic bacteria require to produce postbiotic metabolites.viii, ix Poor diets are one of the primary causes of bacterial imbalance and gut inflammation, which may explain the association between gut inflammation and migraine headaches.
Postbiotic Metabolites Regulate the Gut
Oral probiotic supplements are usually destroyed when they encounter stomach acid, which is over 10,000 times stronger than the acidity in the small intestine and colon. However, directly ingesting postbiotic metabolites is an effective way to improve the gut microbiome.
Various postbiotic metabolites exert anti-inflammatory activity. Others are classified as antimicrobial peptides, which are naturally produced antibiotics that kill or suppress the growth of pathogens. Numerous other postbiotic metabolites are weakly acidic compounds critical in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome ecosystem.
Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotic supplements are produced in a multi-year fermentation process that utilizes 13 distinctive strains of probiotic bacteria and a wide range of Japanese fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and seaweeds. During the 3-year fermentation process, the bacteria break down food components, producing over 500 postbiotic metabolites.