A simple, science-backed guide to the gut-brain connection
Youâve probably felt it beforeââbutterfliesâ in your stomach before a big event or a gut feeling when somethingâs not right. These sensations arenât just expressionsâtheyâre clues to a deeper connection between your digestive system and your mental health.
Emerging science shows that the gut and brain are more connected than we ever realized, and improving your gut health may actually help you feel calmer, clearer, and more emotionally balanced. At Olympia Plaza Pharmacy in Los Angeles, weâre seeing more patients explore this connectionâand asking what they can do to support both their digestive and emotional wellness.
Hereâs what you need to know about the gut-brain connection, how it affects your mood, and the simple steps you can take to support your mental health through your gut.
The gut-brain axis is the two-way communication network between your digestive tract and your brain. This connection runs along the vagus nerve, one of the longest nerves in the body, and involves constant chemical signals that influence everything from mood and appetite to inflammation and immune response.
Your gut is sometimes referred to as the âsecond brainâ because it has its own network of neurons (the enteric nervous system) and produces many of the same neurotransmitters as your brainâespecially serotonin, the âfeel-goodâ chemical. In fact, nearly 90% of your bodyâs serotonin is made in the gut, not the brain.
So when your gut is inflamed, unbalanced, or lacking in beneficial bacteria, it can affect:
Mood regulation (leading to anxiety, irritability, or low mood)
Stress response (more stress hormones, less emotional resilience)
Cognitive clarity (brain fog or low motivation)
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria, many of which play essential roles in digestion, immunity, and mood regulation. This community is known as your gut microbiome.
When your microbiome is healthy and diverse, it produces helpful compounds that:
Support the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA
Reduce inflammation throughout the body and brain
Help regulate your sleep-wake cycle, stress hormones, and appetite
But when the microbiome is disruptedâdue to stress, processed food, antibiotics, or lack of fiberâit can lead to dysbiosis, or an imbalance of good and bad bacteria. This has been linked to higher rates of:
Depression and anxiety
Brain fog or trouble focusing
Chronic fatigue
Irritable bowel symptoms (IBS), which often overlap with mental health struggles
If you’re feeling consistently low, foggy, or emotionally drained, your diet could be quietly playing a role. Some foods not only disrupt your digestion but also promote inflammation, feed harmful bacteria, and interfere with the brain’s natural chemical balance. These shifts in the gut microbiome can directly affect your mood, energy levels, and focus.
Refined sugars and sweets: Excess sugar fuels bad bacteria in the gut, increases inflammation, and may cause energy crashes that mimic depression or anxiety.
Artificial sweeteners (like sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin): These can disrupt gut bacteria and may increase bloating or anxiety in some people.
Highly processed foods: Chips, fast food, packaged snacks, and frozen meals often lack fiber and contain emulsifiers or additives that negatively impact gut lining.
Excess alcohol: Alcohol disrupts gut barrier function and kills beneficial bacteria, contributing to mood swings and poor sleep.
Fried foods and trans fats: These increase inflammation and are hard on both your digestive system and mental well-being.
While cutting these foods out entirely may not be realistic, reducing them gradually and being mindful of how they affect your body and mood can make a noticeable difference.
Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables: Kale, spinach, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts feed your gutâs good bacteria and support detox pathways.
High-fiber foods: Beans, lentils, oats, bananas, and flaxseeds promote microbial diversity and better digestion.
Fermented foods: Yogurt with live cultures, kimchi, miso, and kefir introduce beneficial bacteria directly to the gut.
Fatty fish: Salmon, sardines, and mackerel are rich in omega-3s, which reduce inflammation and support brain health.
Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds are full of prebiotic fiber and mood-boosting minerals like magnesium and zinc.
If you’re feeling persistently offâmentally or physicallyâtry tracking your meals and noting how different foods make you feel. Then come talk to our pharmacists for additional support and supplement suggestions tailored to your body.
The good news? There are practical, evidence-backed ways to support both your gut and your emotional well-beingâstarting with your daily habits.
A gut-friendly diet is one of the most powerful ways to influence your mental clarity and emotional balance. Focus on:
High-fiber foods like oats, beans, apples, and leafy greens
Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut
Polyphenol-rich foods like berries, green tea, and olive oil
Limiting sugar and ultra-processed snacks, which feed bad bacteria
Probiotics are supplements containing beneficial bacteria that can help restore gut balanceâespecially after antibiotics, illness, or periods of stress.
At Olympia Plaza Pharmacy, we recommend probiotics that:
Include well-studied strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium
Support both digestion and mental wellness
Come in capsule, gummy, or powder form for easy daily use
Ask our pharmacists which strain and strength are best for your needsâespecially if youâre looking to support mood, anxiety, or IBS-related symptoms.
Chronic stress weakens the gut lining and disrupts healthy bacteria. Try simple, consistent practices like:
10 minutes of daily deep breathing or meditation
Gentle exercise like walking, yoga, or swimming
Staying hydrated and getting 7â9 hours of sleep each night
Some medicationsâlike certain painkillers, acid reducers, or antibioticsâcan disrupt the gut. If you’re taking these regularly, talk to us about ways to protect your microbiome or support it with a probiotic.
If youâre experiencing persistent symptoms like anxiety, depression, brain fog, or GI issues, itâs important to talk to your doctor. While gut support can help, itâs not a substitute for medical or mental health treatmentâbut it can absolutely be a complementary tool in your wellness journey.
Our pharmacists can also review your medications and supplements to make sure everything youâre taking works together to supportânot stressâyour system.
You donât have to guess your way through the supplement aisle or try every probiotic on the market. At Olympia Plaza Pharmacy in Los Angeles, weâre here to help you take care of both your gut and your mood with trusted advice, pharmacist-recommended products, and support thatâs always tailored to you.
đ Call us at (323) 937-2590 or stop by the pharmacy to ask about:
Probiotic recommendations for mood and digestion
Gut-friendly vitamins and supplements
Personalized support for your medication routine
A healthier gut may be the first step toward a happier, clearer youâand weâre here to help you get there.
