Your Gut Could Be Controlling Your Mood

You’ve probably heard of a “gut feeling” — but what if your gut is doing more than just sending hunches?

New science is showing us something incredible: your gut and your brain are in constant conversation. And the balance of bacteria in your digestive system — also called your gut microbiome — might be influencing how you feel emotionally, mentally, and even socially.

At Epicentre, we’re here to help you understand what’s happening inside your body — and give you the tools to feel your best from the inside out.

What Is the Gut–Brain Axis?

The gut–brain axis is the two-way connection between your brain and your digestive system. These systems chat via nerves (like the vagus nerve), hormones, immune signals, and even gut bacteria (Doenyas et al., 2025).

Here’s the mind-blowing part:

🧬 Some of your gut bacteria actually produce mood-regulating chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. In fact, 90% of your serotonin is made in your gut! (Zhu et al., 2022)

So if your gut is unhappy… chances are, your mood might be too.

Signs Your Gut Might Be Messing With Your Mood

• Ongoing anxiety or low mood

• Brain fog or poor focus

• Bloating, IBS, or irregular digestion

• Trouble sleeping

• Feeling “off” for no obvious reason

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

What the Research Says

Studies have found clear links between gut bacteria and depression (Clapp et al., 2017; Zhu et al., 2022). One large study (Radjabzadeh et al., 2022) even found that people with depression had lower levels of good gut bacteria — especially those that produce anti-inflammatory and mood-supporting substances like butyrate and GABA.

How You Can Help Your Gut (And Mood)

Here’s what supports a happy gut–brain axis:

✅ Eat fibre-rich foods like fruits, veggies, and whole grains

✅ Try fermented foods: yoghurt, kimchi, kombucha

✅ Reduce processed sugars and fast foods

✅ Sleep well and manage stress

✅ Move your body regularly

And most importantly…

Test, Don’t Guess

At Epicentre, we offer gut health and mental health blood tests to help you find out what’s really going on.

🔍 Our Gut Health Test checks:

• Bacterial balance (good vs bad bugs)

• Inflammation markers

• Signs of leaky gut

• Butyrate and GABA-producing microbes

🧠 Our Mental Health Panel checks:

• Vitamin D, B12, iron

• Cortisol and thyroid hormones

• Inflammation and nutrient imbalances

Together, these tests help you take control of your health with real answers.

Our Mental Health Packages

  • Mental Health Wellness Analysis

    Includes: Iron Profile, Cortisol, Calcium, Vitamin D, Fasting insulin, CRP, TSH, Homocystein, Vitamin B12, Folate, Free Testosterone, Magnesium, DHEAS

    Lab results in 5 to 7 working days - No referral required

Our Gut Health Packages

  • Complete Gut Profile

    Includes: Akkermansia muciniphila, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium genus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus genus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Roseburia hominis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bacteroides fragilis, Escherichia coli, Prevotella genus, Bacteroides genus, Candida albicans, Clostridium difficile, Enterococcus faecalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Campylobacter spp., Clostridioides difficile, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio spp., Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Shiga-like E. coli (STEC), Shigella/ E. coli (EIEC), Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Helicobacter pylori.

    Lab results in 5-7 working days. No referral required

  • Gut Essentials Test

    Includes: Akkermansia muciniphila, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium genus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus genus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Roseburia hominis, Streptococcus thermophilus

    Lab results in 5-7 working days. No referral required

  • Gut Deep Dive & Disease Association

    Includes: Akkermansia muciniphila, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium genus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus genus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Roseburia hominis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bacteroides fragilis, Escherichia coli, Prevotella genus, Bacteroides genus, Candida albicans, Clostridium difficile, Enterococcus faecalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Campylobacter spp., Clostridioides difficile, Plesiomonas shigelloides, Salmonella spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Vibrio spp., Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Shiga-like E. coli (STEC), Shigella/ E. coli (EIEC), Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Helicobacter pylori.

    Lab results in 5-7 working days. No referral required

If you’re tired of feeling foggy, anxious, or “not quite right” — your gut might be the missing piece. Don’t wait for symptoms to get worse. Listen to your gut. Support your mind.

Book a test with experts
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References

• Clapp, M. et al. (2017). Clinics and Practice, 7(4), 987. https://doi.org/10.4081/cp.2017.987

• Doenyas, C. et al. (2025). Scientific Reports, 15, 3415. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86858-3

• Dreisbach, S. (2024). EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/how-your-gut-health-impacts-your-body-8695122

• Radjabzadeh, D. et al. (2022). Nature Communications, 13, 7128. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34502-3

• Zhu, F. et al. (2022). Nutrients, 14(2081). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14102081