Aaron Hartman, MDFunctional Medicine Specialist | Clinical Researcher

The Gut-Heart Connection Explained

3 Mar 2025 · 0 min

Watch on YouTube

0:27

A short excerpt from a YouTube video by Aaron Hartman, MD, explaining that the gut influences not only the brain and immune system but also the heart. The speaker states the vagus nerve links the gut and heart and that gut-derived neurotransmitters (and inflammation or heavy meals) can raise heart rate and cause sensations of pounding.

Not only does your gut affect your brain and your immune system, it also plays in with your heart. So we now understand that the vagus nerve that comes from your gut also surrounds and bathes your heart. Your heart has a basic rate. It will go out no matter what's happening. That's the rate when you're sleeping and resting that it kind of settles out up if your gut's inflamed. If you've eaten heavy food, have you ever felt your heart race or felt your heart pump heavily? That's the impact of the food you ate, the neurotransmitters in your gut going back to your heart.