Praxis Dr. med. Georgia Brunner

28/09/2025

New research shows the gut microbiome can talk directly to the brain via the vagus nerve, with certain gut bacteria activating neural pathways that influence mood, behaviour, and thinking.

Scientists found specific microbial signals stimulate vagal neurons, helping explain gut–brain links seen in emotional and cognitive changes.

This work strengthens the idea that gut health matters for mental well-being and brain function while stopping short of claiming simple fixes.

It also opens the door to microbiome based therapies that might one day help treat mood and brain disorders.

Practical takeaway: a balanced diet and gut friendly habits could support both digestion and mental health as research advances.

28/09/2025

28/09/2025

New research from the University of South Australia challenges the old egg myth: eating two eggs a day within a low saturated-fat diet lowered LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in study participants.

The study found the real culprit is saturated fat not the cholesterol in eggs so when you cut saturated fats, adding eggs didn’t raise LDL and even helped improve levels. Eggs are naturally low in saturated fat compared with many processed meats and fatty foods.

Takeaway: two eggs a day can fit into a heart-friendly eating plan as long as you keep saturated fats low and focus on balanced, whole foods.

28/09/2025

28/09/2025

28/09/2025

When planning our sleep schedules, many focus on getting the recommended seven to nine hours and try to sleep in after a late night, but experts say this doesn't capture the full picture. A growing body of evidence suggests that going to bed and waking up at the same time every day carries numerous positive effects for your physical and mental wellbeing—and could even extend your life.

Find out why and get more science-backed tips for your sleep routine: https://on.natgeo.com/47Xf2QO

28/09/2025

Neuroscientist and psychologist break down the science behind this approach in our newest exclusive feature.

27/09/2025

Regular exercise offers significant mental health benefits beyond just physical fitness. It can reduce anxiety, improve mood, and even help with depressive thoughts. This is because physical activity triggers the release of feel-good brain chemicals like endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin.

Over time, this chemical shift helps the brain better handle stress and promotes the growth of new brain cells, making it more resilient. Both cardio and strength training are effective; a brisk 20-30 minute walk can lift your mood for hours, while resistance workouts have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression. The key is to find a form of movement you enjoy and can do consistently, as even low-intensity activities can have a calming effect on the nervous system.

26/09/2025

💊 Stop and think before you take your next pill.

Commonly used medications may leave long-lasting "fingerprints" on the gut microbiome—even years after use—according to a new study from the University of Tartu’s Institute of Genomics.

By analyzing stool samples and prescription records from over 2,500 participants in the Estonian Biobank, researchers discovered that a wide range of drugs, including antidepressants, beta-blockers, proton pump inhibitors, and benzodiazepines, can cause persistent shifts in gut microbial communities. Surprisingly, the microbiome-altering effects of some non-antibiotic drugs were found to be as significant as those of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

The findings underscore the importance of considering a patient’s full medication history—not just current drug use—when interpreting microbiome data in both research and clinical settings.

Follow-up analyses confirmed that starting or stopping specific medications can lead to predictable microbial changes that last over time. This insight could have broad implications for studies linking gut health to disease, as overlooking past drug exposure may obscure key microbial influences. Researchers hope the study encourages clinicians and scientists to more carefully account for drug history in microbiome-focused work.

Reference: “A hidden confounder for microbiome studies: medications used years before sample collection” by Oliver Aasmets et al., 5 September 2025, mSystems.