The wooden figurehead in the window of the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is called a Gaper. Starting in the late 16th century in the Netherlands, Gapers were displayed outside pharmacies, and soon became a recognised symbol of the drugstore. They were always shown with an open mouth or with their tongue sticking out, to represent the taking of medicine, and to lure customers into the store.
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Last week I finished with the question: what drugs, other than antibiotics, disrupt our gut microbiota — the trillions of micro-organisms that live in our digestive tract?
An obvious contender is antacids — also known as heartburn medications — which are drugs that reduce stomach acid production to treat reflux. Decades of research have established a strong link between acid suppression, gastrointestinal changes, and depression — especially in relation to the class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Healthy stomach acid acts as a sterile shield that kills ingested pathogens and bacteria. When the environment becomes less acidic, bacteria from the mouth and upper respiratory tract survive the journey downward and can trigger what’s known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Symptoms of SIBO include (but are not limited to) bloating, abdominal cramping, excessive gas (especially after eating carbohydrates), altered bowel habits, chronic fatigue, brain fog, and joint or muscle pain.
Another big class of microbial disruptors is Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, referred to as NSAIDs. These are the most common medications used for pain caused by inflammation or swelling. You’ll know them as Ibuprofen (eg Advil, Nurofen, Motrin), Naproxen, Indomethacin, and Diclofenac (eg Voltaren).
Aspirin also directly disrupts the gut microbiome, and long-term or daily low-dose aspirin use suppresses the growth of beneficial, anti-inflammatory bacteria.
Other common microbial disrupting medications include metformin (for type 2 diabetes), antidepressants, benzodiazepines, statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) and laxatives (because they speed up gut transit time which can prevent beneficial microbes from properly establishing themselves).
Now I’m NOT suggesting that you abruptly stop taking any of these medications if you’re on them. I’m letting you know there’s a lot more to good gut health than food. All medications come with side effects and need to be used judiciously.
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Today’s Brain Booster is: Mend your Microbes!
Your body has two incredible systems that help you adapt and survive in a changing world: neuroplasticity and microbial plasticity.
Neuroplasticity is your brain and nervous system’s ability to rewire its connections when you learn or experience something new, or heal from an injury.
Microbial plasticity is your gut’s ability to quickly change its mix of bacteria, and the chemicals they produce, based on what you eat, the medications you take, how well you’ve slept, how regularly you exercise, and how stressed you are.
Both systems work like continuous learning programs to keep you healthy, shape your behaviour, and make your body resilient. So what can you do NOW to mend your microbes and improve your gut health, regardless of what’s happened in the past? You’ll have to tune in to hear my top 7 calls to action.
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Today’s Whether Report addresses the question: I’d like to know whether I should get a microbiome home test or not? I know the evidence is not clear yet, and scientific papers have shown that it is an unregulated field with controversial findings. Yet, how else can we know what is wrong with our gut?
That question actually prompted me to do this entire four-part gut series.
My short answer is: no, don’t waste your time and money on a microbiome home test. Why not?
Microbiome home tests are direct-to-consumer kits that analyse a stool sample to identify the micro-organisms living in your digestive tract. Some of them also provide dietary advice based on your results. However, the science highlights a huge gap between what these tests promise and what they actually deliver.
My long answer is recorded in this podcast episode.
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Click here to watch the episode on my YouTube channel, or listen to Healing with Dr Helena on your preferred podcast platform. Please subscribe to my podcast or YouTube channel so that you don’t miss an episode, and send your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com
If you’re happy for me to play your voice on my podcast, you can provide an audio file. Otherwise, you can type your question for me to read out.
I very much look forward to answering your questions, and exploring how we can all build a smarter brain, stronger body and deeply fulfilling life.
Please share this Health-e-Byte with anyone who is interested in gut health.
