Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and inflammation are both responses to traumatic events. PTSD typically follows a particularly challenging experience, while inflammation is an immune response that follows injury or infection that inflicts trauma, large or small, on the body.
While people don’t typically think of these two reactions as closely related, research indicates otherwise, and new findings suggest that a little-studied bacterium may help with both.
An anti-inflammatory commensal bacterium, Eubacterium eligens (E. eligens) was positively associated with foods such as vegetables, fruits, and fish in the study, which identified the connection through stool samples. E. eligens decreased among those eating diets high in red and processed meats.
The Role of Inflammation in PTSD
High numbers of anti-inflammatory gut microbes can nurture homeostasis in the immune inflammatory system to calm the fires of PTSD, a fear-based mental health condition that has been stigmatized, in part, because it’s poorly understood. Two people can witness the same traumatic event, for instance, and while one may recover, the other may experience intrusive feelings of anxiety or fright, even when they aren’t in danger.
One of the most dramatic effects of trauma is the way that it causes separation of the epithelial cells in the small intestine, according to Dr. James Gordon, founder of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine. This is the invitation to a more persistent inflammatory state, he told The Epoch Times, as it permits proteins that should remain in the gut to leak out into the bloodstream and cause an inflammatory response in many parts of the body, including the brain and joints.
“Trauma affects the gut as much as it affects the brain. In fact, it has potentially negative effects on every part of the [gastrointestinal] system, from the way we eat and the food choices we make,” said Dr. Gordon, author of the book “Transforming Trauma: The Path to Hope and Healing.”
The Most Vulnerable
Some people use the terms trauma and PTSD interchangeably, and although they’re similar, there are differences.“A traumatic event is time-based, while PTSD is a longer-term condition where one continues to have flashbacks and re-experience the traumatic event. In addition, to meet criteria for PTSD, there must be a high level of ongoing distress and life impairment.”
People in certain professions are at higher risk for various types of trauma, including PTSD, such as those who serve in the military (especially those who engage in combat); first responders such as firefighters, police officers, and paramedics; and doctors and nurses.
E. Eligens: New Terrain
E. eligens hasn’t been widely studied, making the new findings on its link to PTSD particularly notable. The exact impact of E. eligens on human health remains largely unexplored, according to Yang-Yu Liu, co-corresponding author of the study and faculty member at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.“We haven’t done any previous work on E. eligens,” Mr. Liu told The Epoch Times. “More studies are needed. But now we are heavily working on animal experiments to test its protective effect in preventing/ameliorating PTSD.”
“From my clinical and research findings, PTSD is likely not just a memory archiving and fear conditioning issue but is often paired with metabolic dysfunction like blood sugar imbalances and hypertension,” she told The Epoch Times.
Although it’s important to know what microbes are at play with PTSD, Ms. Ruiz said fixating on E. eligens to the detriment of the entire ecosystem may not be helpful.
“While it would be amazing to find a PTSD magic bullet in the form of a single probiotic, there are other gut host factors that are also at play that mediate successful colonization and microbial balance,” she said.
The Non-Diet Mediterranean ‘Diet’
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most well-studied and universally praised diets in the world. What makes it appealing is that it lacks hard-and-fast rules, unlike other diets. It mainly consists of the regular consumption of olive oil, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, moderate amounts of fish, seafood, and dairy, and limited alcohol, red meat, and other meat products.- Eat in Abundance: plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, herbs, spices, and extra virgin olive oil, which should be your primary source of fat.
- Consume Low-to-Moderate Amounts: fish, seafood, dairy, poultry, eggs, and red wine (usually with meals)
- Limit or Avoid: red meat, processed meat, beer, liquor, processed foods, and added or refined sugar
One of the main benefits of the Mediterranean diet is that it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy fats from fish, nuts, and seeds. These essential fatty acids help to reduce inflammation, promote heart health, and benefit the brain. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential, meaning that our bodies can’t produce them and, therefore, we must get them from our diet.
Healing Is Complex but Possible
Both Dr. Gordon and Ms. Ruiz said recovery from PTSD will almost always involve more than diet, as it’s a complex condition to unravel. It affects many of the body’s systems and often has roots in adverse childhood experiences.“Generally speaking, people who have been traumatized early in life are more prone to have effects from trauma later in life,” Dr. Gordon said. “This is grounded in the biology of epigenetics; that is, earlier trauma inhibits the activity of the genes that make us more able to deal with stress, thereby making us more vulnerable to later trauma.”
Formation of the microbiome—molded by factors such as vaginal delivery, breastfeeding, antibiotic use, and even the stress of the mother—also plays a role in resilience.
“If we are talking about resiliency, there are various resiliency factors in PTSD—a healthy microbiome in early development, exposure to beneficial fatty acids in early development and in current diet, high heart rate variability, which indicates balance between the autonomic nervous system, social support, a diet high in antioxidants, and low inflammatory status—at the time of the trauma. Thankfully, most of these are modifiable,” Ms. Ruiz said.
Diet can sometimes feel complicated, especially for someone already feeling overwhelmed, which is why Ms. Ruiz suggests finding one healthy thing and doing it consistently.
“It might be eating enough protein each day, trying to get enough fiber, eating yogurt, but find that one thing for you. Then, when you have practiced and done it consistently—and you like it—add another thing. That’s how you build healthy nutrition habits and heal—one choice and action at a time,” she said.
- Find relaxing, meditative techniques to lower stress.
- Use imaginative and cognitive approaches to find the root cause of stress.
- Incorporate physical exercise and time in nature.
- Discover self-expression with words, drawing, or movement.
- Be sure that you have a social support system.
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