Surprise! You have a second brain… and it’s not in your head.
Say hello to your gut-brain axis.
Often dubbed, “the second brain,” this incredible bi-communication channel for your whole body is deeply connected to different aspects of your well-being, both physically and mentally. In fact, your gut-brain axis pulls some serious strings behind the scenes to affect your mental state.
This powerful connection between your brain and gut is one of the big reasons that a healthier gut is linked to better moods, sharper focus, and clearer thinking.
What Is the Gut-Brain Axis, Exactly?
“Axis” may inspire thoughts of math problems, but the importance of the gut-brain axis is easy to understand. While the gut-brain axis is a vast communication network of 100 million nerve cells that line our gastrointestinal tract, its impact can profoundly influence well-being throughout the body.
The key word here is “communication.” When everything’s working as it should, your gut and brain keep each other in sync. But when this communication breaks down (often thanks to things like gut-weakening toxins such as glyphosate, overprescribed antibiotics, and a lost connection with nature), it can throw your whole system out of balance, causing a myriad of health issues.
In short, what affects your gut can influence your brain, and vice versa. This deep interconnectedness is a problem for many of us, as gut issues are increasingly common, triggering all sorts of cascading health woes—including those that can affect our mental state.
Take the vagus nerve, for example. It’s one of the largest nerves connecting your brain and gut, and studies show that psychological stress—not just physical—can impair its function. A disrupted vagus nerve can cause innate miscommunication and manifest as physical gastrointestinal issues, including IBS.
To dig into why this is, it’s important to remember that your microbiome—your body’s bustling, thriving, unique ecosystem where countless viruses, fungi, microbes, and bacteria live together to keep us in balance—needs to be, well, balanced, to do its job. For your gut-brain axis to function as it should, your microbiome needs to function as it should.
All the gut microbiota in our bodies play a huge role in our health throughout our entire lives, starting from when we are born. Multiple studies have shown changes to the gut microbiota in early life–via antibiotic exposure, lack of breastfeeding, birth by C-section, infection, stress, and other environmental influences—can result in long-term effects on physiology, behavior, and the gut-brain communication.
Simply put, communication is important in our interpersonal relationships—and, it turns out, is equally important within our own bodies as well.
Poor Gut Health Doesn’t Just Affect Your Gut
As you may know, poor gut health can impact many parts of your overall health and well-being. But what does poor gut health mean for your mental health, specifically?
1. Disrupted neurotransmitters
Poor gut health can hinder your body’s ability to produce critical neurotransmitters in a big way. Did you know your gut produces 90% of your body’s serotonin? This neurotransmitter is responsible for mood regulation, focus, and emotional balance. When gut health suffers, production of neurotransmitters like serotonin take a hit, leading to irritability, brain fog, and anxiety.
2. Inflammation, brain fog, and difficulty focusing
An unhealthy gut can lead to inflammation throughout your body because compromised gut lining allows toxins and other pathogens to access the rest of your system, where they can go on to wreak havoc elsewhere. But the really nefarious thing about poor gut health is that it’s quite pervasive and, thus, can cause inflammation that becomes chronic. In addition to all the other health woes this can create, it also can induce mental fatigue, negatively affect memory, and interfere with your ability to focus.
3. Issues with nutrient absorption
While not everything connected to gut health is related to simple digestion, we cannot ignore that a healthy gut is absolutely necessary for this essential function. It's a crucial part of daily life and wellness! For mental health and cognition specifically, a healthy gut is essential for absorbing critical nutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, and omega-3s—all vital for brain function. Poor gut health can rob your body of these nutrients, leading to low energy, difficulty concentrating, and reduced cognitive performance.
The Gut-Brain Dream Team: ION* Gut Support and +Focused Mind
Many people suffer from different symptoms of poor gut and affected mental performance. It's no surprise why so many of us rely on the usual suspects to help fight fatigue and stay mentally sharp with things like an afternoon coffee or other stimulants for a temporary boost. In fact, 76% of workers report feeling fatigued throughout the week, according to the National Safety Council.
But instead of simply addressing these symptoms, you can now address the root cause. By supporting both your gut and brain health, you can unlock a whole new level of mental performance and overall wellness.
First, it’s imperative to address the issue of an unhealthy gut. When our microbiomes don’t thrive as they should, neither can we. If you’re suffering from weakened and compromised gut health, ION* Gut Support can help. ION* works by boosting your gut health on the cellular level, fortifying your gut lining, and enhancing nutrient absorption so your gut can function as Mother Nature intended.
ION* is unique because it simply works differently. Instead of narrowly focusing on a specific issue, all-natural ION* Gut Support takes a broader, more holistic approach by doing what no probiotic (or prebiotic) can do—bolster your gut health on its most foundational level.
And to really boost the power of your gut-brain axis, add +Focused Mind to the mix—literally and figuratively.
Packed with potent adaptogens and whole botanicals, +Focused Mind is designed to enhance mental clarity, improve focus, and keep you productive and in your flow state—all without the crash.
Experience the Benefits for Yourself
Alone, ION* Gut Support and +Focused Mind are both effective, all-natural solutions to boost your health. Together, they’re a powerful combination that can help address the root cause of mental clarity issues, offering sustainable energy without the jitters or drawbacks of stimulants.
So, now you’ve learned about the benefits of a healthy gut and mind, it’s time to experience them for yourself firsthand. Get holistic wellness and crash-free energy—try the new ION* Gut Support and +Focused Mind bundle today.
