2.6 Communication within the body

In the previous sections, you have learnt that the gut microbiome affects digestion of nutrients, structural integrity of the gut wall, prevents pathogens from entering the body and can contribute additional micronutrients to the body. However, the effects of the gut microbiome extend beyond the GI tract, and it can affect many processes throughout the body. For example, the gut microbiome can affect appetite, energy levels, metabolism, and body temperature. The gut microbiome also communicates with the brain to affect cognition (the way we think), behaviour, mood, and mental health (Bastiaanssen et al., 2020).

The gut microbiome communicates with the rest of the body and brain via:

• the nervous system (neural pathway)
• circulating hormones (endocrine pathway)
• immune cells and molecules (immune pathway).