Episode 18: How The Gut Affects Behavior In Children

The Better Behavior Show with Dr. Nicole Beurkens

My guest this week is Kiran Krishnan, a Research Microbiologist who has been involved in the dietary supplement and nutrition field for the past 18 years. He comes from a strict research background and established a clinical research organization where he designed and conducted dozens of human clinical trials in human nutrition. Kiran is a Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Microbiome Labs. He is on the Scientific Advisory Board and a Science Advisor for 7 other companies in the industry.

In his career, he has developed over 50 private label nutritional products. He is a frequent lecturer on the human microbiome at several health summits, medical and nutrition conferences, radio shows and has appeared in several international documentaries.

In this episode, Kiran and I talk about the important role bacteria plays in our gut microbiome, its connection to the brain and how it can directly affect children’s behavior. Children suffering from anxiety and stress, or who are on the Autism spectrum can benefit in different ways by looking into and addressing their gut health. Experiencing a disruption or imbalance in the gut microbiome does not always manifest in gastrointestinal symptoms, it is also common for children to experience behavioral alterations without any GI symptoms present. Learn more about Kiran and ways to treat and manage gut health here.

Episode Highlights

What is the gut microbiome?

• Think of the microbiome as an ecosystem made up of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi that live in your gut

The Role of Bacteria in Our Bodies

• We have over 100 trillion bacteria cells in our system that are vital to our everyday function
• About 90% of our day-to-day metabolic biochemical functions that differentiate us as humans come from those bacteria

Connecting The Microbiome and Behavior

• The bacteria in our gut microbiome have a direct connection to our brain through the vagus nerve
  • The vagus nerve allows bacteria to send signals to the brain that affect how we behave
• There are organisms in the microbiome that can heighten anxiety and increase stress levels, as well as, organisms that can give you a sense of calm

How Our Microbiome Gets Disrupted

• For humans to optimally function, the healthy balance of the bacteria in the gut microbiome is essential
• A single course of antibiotics can throw this balance off entirely and result in:
  • Heightened anxiety due to the growth of particular bacterial strains that cause an anxious response, and decrease the growth of strains that cause calming responses
• Examples of recovery time for your gut microbiome due to specific antibiotics
  • A 10-day course of Clindamycin can take your body up to 2 years to recover
  • Use of a Z-Pak can take almost a year to recover
  • A single 600mg dose of Augmentin knocks your gut bacteria down by 99%

Rebalancing the Gut Microbiome

• Every single person has a unique microbiome, therefore, what works for one person might not work for another
• Diversity in the microbiome is very important
• Adding diverse probiotic strains to your routine like Just Thrive probiotics can aid in strengthening immune health within the digestive system

Where to learn more about Kiran Krishnan...

• Register at microbiomelabs.com for access to order!
• Instagram: @microbiomelabs

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