Professor John Cryan — Vice President for Research at University College Cork and a pioneer of microbiome-gut-brain science — reveals how trillions of gut microbes directly influence your mood, stress resilience, and long-term brain health. From coining the term ”psychobiotic” to leading research linking gut bacteria to social behaviour and neurodegenerative disease, Prof. Cryan explains what the gut-brain connection means for anyone looking to support their mental health and healthy ageing through what they eat.

In this episode:

– Your gut has its own brain: more nerve cells than your spinal cord, talking to your brain through the vagus nerve

– Three pathways link gut and brain: microbial metabolites, immune cells and hormones such as GLP-1

– Your microbiome follows a daily rhythm, so when you eat may matter as much as what you eat

– Stress reshapes your gut, and your gut bacteria can amplify your stress response

– Parkinson's may begin in the gut, years before brain symptoms appear

– Most commercial probiotics have never been tested: ask whether the specific strain has published evidence

Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTXgk_FCEbI

Full show notes, key takeaways and resources: https://stressfreelongevity.com/podcast/understanding-the-gut-brain-connection/