Gut Health and Energy: 9 Key Points To Know
For many people, feeling tired has a simple fix: drink a cup of coffee. However, coffee doesn’t really give you energy, it just temporarily blocks you from feeling tired. So, what should you do if you actually want more energy?
The key might just be hidden in your gut. When something is going wrong in your gut, it might show up as fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, and even skin issues. Read on for 9 key things to know about how gut health can affect energy, as well as how you can support your gut (and overall) health.
1. Energy Is (Partially) Made in the Gut
If mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, then your gut is the power plant of your entire body. The trillions of bacteria living in your intestines break down the food you eat into nutrients your body actually uses for energy. Plus, these gut bugs produce short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate) that fuel your cells and help regulate your metabolism.
Poor gut health, on the other hand, means your body has to work overtime to digest food and fight inflammation, which can lead to energy slumps. Bad gut bacteria can even mess with the gut-brain axis, affecting your stress levels, sleep, and yes, your Monday morning motivation.
2. Gender Affects Gut Health
Men and women don’t just shop differently at Trader Joe’s — their guts actually behave differently, too. Thanks to hormonal differences (especially when it comes to female hormones like estrogen and progesterone), women’s gut microbiomes are more prone to fluctuations.
For example, shifts during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can change gut bacteria balance, sometimes leading to energy dips, mood swings, and even gut sensitivity. Meanwhile, men’s guts tend to be a little more stable, but that doesn’t mean they’re immune to gut problems. Diet and lifestyle still matter big-time, no matter who you are.
3. It’s Not Always About the Microbiome
Look, your microbiome gets a lot of hype (and rightfully so), but your gut lining also deserves some respect. The gut lining acts like a filter, deciding what gets into your bloodstream and what gets packed up with the rest of the waste. When that lining gets damaged, unwanted stuff like toxins and bacteria can sneak through, triggering inflammation and draining your energy.
Damage to the gut lining can happen from a bad diet, chronic stress, or certain medications. Supporting the gut lining with a diet rich in fiber, collagen, and antioxidants can help it stay strong.
And nowadays, getting collagen is even easier than ever. All you need to do is make a cup of collagen coffee — bonus points if it’s a cup of our Mushroom Coffee+. Our mushroom blend features 4g of gut-supporting collagen per serving, plus it tastes just like a fancy cup of joe.
4. Gut Health Affects Mental Health
Your gut is deep in conversation with your brain 24/7. This gut-brain connection (officially called the gut-brain axis) is a two-way superhighway that plays a massive role in your mental health.
About 90% of the body's serotonin is made in the gut. When your gut microbiome is balanced, you’re more likely to feel focused, calm, and energized. But when it’s out of whack, feelings of depression, anxiety, and good old-fashioned brain fog can start to seep in.
Our Mushroom Coffee can also provide some extra support here. Our Mushrooms+ Nootropics Blend features L-theanine, which can encourage feelings of relaxation, as well as lion’s mane mushroom, which can help ease feelings of depression and anxiety.
5. Gut Health Can Make Allergies Worse
When your gut bacteria are imbalanced, your body can overproduce histamine, the compound responsible for allergy symptoms like sneezing, hives, and watery eyes. Some gut bacteria (like certain strains of Lactobacillus) can either break down histamine or make more of it.
If your gut can't properly regulate histamine, you might feel extra sensitive to certain foods, pollen, or even your neighbor's overly perfumed laundry detergent. In this case, supporting a healthy gut through a low-histamine diet can make a huge difference.
6. Signs Your Gut Health Needs Help
Sure, you could blame feeling tired on your third espresso shot wearing off, but sometimes it's really just your gut waving a little white flag. Warning signs of gut dysfunction include the following:
- Frequent bloating
- Gas
- Brain fog
- Constant fatigue
- Sudden food intolerances
- Mood Swings
7. Diet Can Support Gut Health for Energy
The good news is that you don't have to live on kale alone to have a thriving gut (although kale is a solid choice for gut health). Instead, you’ll want to focus on fiber-rich foods, fermented goodies, and hydration.
Fiber, which is found in fruits, veggies, beans, and whole grains, feeds your good gut bacteria so they can keep churning out energy-boosting compounds. When it comes to prebiotic fiber, you aren’t just limited to salads — you can also get a good amount of gut-loving beta glucan fibers from each dose of our Mushroom Coffee+ thanks to lion’s mane mushroom.
Meanwhile, fermented foods like kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt introduce healthy bacteria straight into your digestive system. And don’t forget to stay hydrated, because your gut can’t do its job without enough water.
Finally, do what you can to stay away from ultra-processed snacks. They can wreak havoc on your microbiome and tank your energy faster than an all-nighter.
8. Exercise Can Also Support Gut Health
You know exercise boosts endorphins, but did you know it can also help you build a better gut? Getting sweaty actually increases the diversity of bacteria in your gut, which is a good thing.
Moderate aerobic exercise (think brisk walking, cycling, or swimming) also helps your gut bacteria create more short-chain fatty acids that support your metabolism and reduce inflammation. Plus, regular exercise keeps things moving along the digestive tract, which means less bloating and more confidence all around.
9. The Gut-Sleep Connection Is Key
If you’re lying awake at 2 A.M. calculating the exact hours of sleep you’ll get, your gut might be to blame. Your gut microbiome doesn’t just clock out when you hit the pillow, it actually helps regulate your sleep cycle. Gut bacteria produce and interact with neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that control your circadian rhythm.
A dysregulated gut microbiome can lead to poor sleep quality, fragmented sleep, and even no sleep at all. Eating a gut-friendly diet, getting morning sunlight, and avoiding heavy late-night meals can help sync up your gut and your sleep schedule.
The Bottom Line
Gut health isn’t just about digesting the food you eat. It's also the control center for your energy, mood, sleep, and even your allergies. Because of this, a few small, consistent changes to your diet and lifestyle can actually help you have more energy — no coffee needed.
Pay attention to the signs your body’s giving you, and don’t underestimate the power of some fiber, fermented foods, and movement. For more helpful health tips, check out the rest of the Everyday Dose blog today.
Sources:
Leaky gut: What is it, and what does it mean for you? | Harvard Health
New microbiome research reveals exercise may impact gut physiology | UCLA Health
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