A healthy gut biome is a foundational part of your performance and longevity.
You have an entire world living in your gut: trillions of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi, all working in a delicate balancing act to keep your body and brain running smoothly.
In fact, if you go by the numbers, you’re more microbe than human—you’re about 43% human cells and 56% microbial cells[*][*]. Your gut also contains 70-80% of your immune cells, acting as a gatekeeper that protects your inside world from the outside world[*]. Your gut bacteria also have a direct line to your brain and influence your focus, mood, and how quickly your brain processes information[*].
If you want optimal performance, you have to keep your gut strong. You’ll get sick less, you’ll focus better, and you’ll live longer.
Here’s a closer look at how biohacking your gut can enhance performance, and how to make your gut stronger, starting today.
Gut Health for Anti-Aging
Your gut microbiome plays a fundamental role in how you age. In fact, a 2020 review found that your gut health is one of the best predictors of longevity[*].
As you age, two key indicators of good health are the number of bacteria in your gut and the diversity of those gut bacteria. Generally, your beneficial gut bacteria decline as you get older, leaving you vulnerable to an increase in pathogenic bacteria that shift your gut out of balance and can cause faster aging. For example, older adults have fewer short-chain fatty acid producing bacteria, which are critical for cognitive health and cellular energy[*].
As your gut ages, your immune function also declines. Research shows that your microglial cells—immune cells that seek out and stop pathogens from the outside world—take a hit when the gut microbiome is out of balance, making your body more vulnerable to unwanted intruders[*].
It’s no surprise that in recent years, multiple clinical studies have found a connection between low gut microbiome diversity and age-related diseases, such as dementia[*], Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s[*], and Type 2 Diabetes[*].
If you maintain a healthy and diverse gut, you can stave off these age-related declines, keeping yourself strong as you head into your golden years.
Your Gut Is Your Second Brain
In the early 2000s, researchers discovered the gut-brain axis—a direct pathway between your gut and your brain.
Over the last 20 years, scientists have discovered that your gut and your brain are in constant communication with each other, and your gut bacteria have a huge influence over your brain function.
For example, over 90% of your brain’s serotonin—the chemical that stabilizes your mood and wards off depression— is produced in your gut[*]. In fact, your gut bacteria play an essential role in synthesizing all five major neurotransmitters—GABA, serotonin, acetylcholine, norepinephrine and dopamine[*].
Not surprisingly, mood disorders such as depression and anxiety often go along with a gut imbalance[*]. Same for attention disorders like ADHD[*] and age-related dementia[*].
Your gut bacteria are surprisingly good at mind control. They have huge influence over your mental state, which means hacking your gut is a powerful way to upgrade your brain function.
Biohack Your Gut with Upgraded Probiotics
You may have heard of probiotics. They’re basically huge doses of good gut bacteria that you can take by mouth. Once they reach your gut, they integrate with your existing gut biome, shifting your bacterial balance so your gut is stronger and more diverse.
The problem is that a lot of probiotics are low-quality, and many brands will do more harm than good.
Many probiotics don’t actually survive the trip to your gut. Some contain the right bacteria in insignificant doses, and others contain the wrong bacteria entirely—ones that will actually throw your gut out of balance instead of strengthening it.
My go-to probiotic is Omni-Biotic, for several reasons. The first is that Omni-Biotic offers well-researched probiotic formulas, with enough of each bacterial strain to actually make a difference in your gut health.
The second is that Omni-Biotic lab tests to see how well their probiotics survive the journey to your gut. According to data from a third-party lab, 83% of their probiotic bacteria arrive alive and active in your intestines.
They offer a few different formulas, and in my opinion, the best one is Omni-Biotic Stress Release. The bacteria in it are especially good for gut health, stress management and brain function, and the formulation won “Probiotic of the Year” at the NutraIngredients USA Awards 2021.
If you’re looking for a good probiotic, give Omni-Biotic a try. You can use code DAVE20 for 20% off your order.
No good biohacking regimen ignores your gut health. Upgrading your gut biome will improve your mood, focus, stress response, digestion, and nutrient balance. Start with three basics: a good diet, deep sleep, and a high-quality probiotic.
