OH MY GUT! Nutrition, gut health and stress
The new public-private partnership aims to explore how what we eat affects our gut health and, in turn, how our gut health impacts our stress responses. By combining the expertise of both academic researchers and industry experts, the project focuses on creating innovative dietary solutions and personalized strategies to manage stress.
In our fast-paced world, stress is a common issue and can lead to various health problems such as anxiety, depression, digestive issues, and sleep disturbances. Recent research shows that what we eat can influence our gut health, which can affect our metabolism, mental health and stress response. Therefore, finding new ways to monitor stress with new technologies and to manage stress through diet is essential.
This project will study the connection between gut health, nutrition, metabolism and stress management. The project is divided into three parts. First, data from the Dutch Healthy Brain Study will be analyzed to understand and find biomarkers for the relationship between stress, dietary food groups/nutrients and gut health. Next, a human study will be conducted with gut-supporting foods and supplements to investigate if they can exert a beneficial impact on stress responses, by using advanced technologies and stress biomarkers identified in the Dutch Healthy Brain Study. Finally, all data will be combined to define advice for (dietary) stress management and explore if these insights could be used for future AI prediction modelling.
The project will provide valuable insights into how diet and gut health affect stress. Companies involved will learn whether their products and technologies can help manage and monitor stress, respectively. The findings will also guide future research, identify new biomarkers, and help develop new interventions in this area. This knowledge will benefit food and tech companies, healthcare providers, and researchers, promoting a collaborative effort toward a healthier society.
