Gut Feeling: How Your Microbiome Affects Your Health and Well-Being

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FemGevity Medical Team
July 3, 2025
5 min read
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Gut Feeling: How Your Microbiome Affects Your Health and Well-Being

Gut Health, Brain Fog & Insomnia: What Your GI System is Trying to Tell You

At FemGevity, we know that true wellness starts in the gut. Your gastrointestinal (GI) system does far more than just digest food — it’s the frontline of nutrient absorption, immune defense, hormone balance, and even your mood and sleep. So when your gut is out of balance, your entire body feels it. Brain fog, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue — these aren’t random symptoms. They’re messages from your gut asking for attention.

In this article, we’ll explore how gut health influences your brain, energy, and hormones, what causes GI dysfunction, and what you can do to start healing — from the inside out.

The Gut-Brain Connection: Why Your Digestion Impacts Your Mind

Your gut is often called your "second brain" for a reason. It's home to over 100 million neurons and produces over 90% of the body’s serotonin — a key neurotransmitter for mood, appetite, and sleep. But when the GI tract is inflamed or compromised, neurotransmitter production can stall, leaving you feeling tired, foggy, anxious, or down.

Inflammation diverts your body’s energy away from producing feel-good chemicals like dopamine and norepinephrine. Instead, it ramps up inflammatory mediators such as quinolinate and picolinate, which have been linked to depressive symptoms.

Common Causes of GI Dysfunction

Your gut can become disrupted by a range of internal and external factors:

  • Chronic stress
  • Diets high in sugar, alcohol, or processed foods
  • Toxin exposure (e.g. pesticides, plastics)
  • Antibiotic use and medication overuse
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Infections (bacterial, parasitic, viral)

These disruptors may lead to leaky gut syndrome, where the intestinal lining becomes permeable, allowing toxins and undigested food particles to enter the bloodstream. This can trigger systemic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and even autoimmunity.

Signs Your Gut May Be Struggling

GI issues don’t always show up as obvious digestive symptoms. Warning signs to watch for include:

  • Brain fog or trouble concentrating
  • Sleep disturbances and insomnia
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Constipation or diarrhea
  • Gas, bloating, or IBS
  • Anxiety or depression
  • Joint or muscle aches
  • Skin issues like eczema or acne
  • Hormonal imbalances or irregular cycles

Many people walk around with significant gut dysfunction and no digestive complaints at all.

Gut Health, Neurotransmitters & Mental Wellness

When inflammation dominates the gut, it impacts the serotonin pathway. Since serotonin can’t cross the blood-brain barrier, low gut production often leads to mood swings, low motivation, and emotional eating.

5-HTP, a serotonin precursor, is often better tolerated than tryptophan in inflamed systems. In some cases, tyrosine can be used to improve focus and sleep. While SSRIs may offer short-term relief, they can deplete serotonin in platelets over time — which is why functional testing and root-cause care matter.

The Early Microbiome: Why Birth & Breastfeeding Matter

C-section births and lack of breastfeeding can impair the development of a diverse, resilient gut microbiome in infancy. This incomplete microbial foundation may increase the risk of inflammation, immune issues, and neurotransmitter imbalances later in life.

How to Begin Healing Your Gut

1. Start with Food: Focus on anti-inflammatory, nutrient-rich whole foods. Eliminate processed sugar, seed oils, gluten, and alcohol for a gut reset.

2. Test, Don’t Guess: Advanced testing through FemGevity can assess your hormone levels, gut microbiome composition, neurotransmitter metabolites (like kynurenate, quinolinate, and picolinate), and inflammation markers.

3. Personalize Your Plan: Supplementation with 5-HTP, tyrosine, probiotics, or digestive enzymes may be helpful — but only when tailored to your unique biology.

4. Support the Nervous System: Prioritize sleep hygiene, vagus nerve stimulation (deep breathing, cold exposure), and parasympathetic practices like meditation or gentle movement.

Listen to Your Gut

Your body is always communicating — especially through your gut. If you’re dealing with unexplained fatigue, mood swings, or sleep struggles, it might be time to stop treating symptoms and start listening to the deeper signals.

At FemGevity, we believe in precision, personalized care that gets to the root of what’s going on. You don’t have to live with brain fog, restless nights, or emotional ups and downs. Start by supporting your gut, and the rest will follow.

To Learn More About Testing Connect with us for a FREE CONSULTATION or read another blog article

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