Critical Praise
“In The Mind-Gut Connection, Mayer has a good handle on the science in a realm where sticking to the facts is not an easy task. Much easier would have been to draw careless lines between the dots with a Sharpie, and then (as others do) try to sell the resulting picture.”
— Gut Microbiota News Watch Read full review
“Dr. Emeran Mayer elucidates the intricate biochemical dialogue that occurs between the brain, digestive tract, and trillions of bacteria residing in the gut. He dubs this form of communication ‘microbe-speak’ and speculates on its implications for social behavior, decision making, emotional wellbeing, and maybe mental health.”
— Booklist
“Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with the latest discoveries on the human microbiome, a practical guide in the tradition of Wheat Belly and Grain Brain that conclusively demonstrates the inextricable, biological link between mind and body.”
— Goodreads Read full review
“The Mind-Gut Connection is a revolutionary new holistic view of what keeps us healthy, ranging from the food choices we make to the ways we can train our mind, with the ultimate goal of attaining optimal health. ”
— Kenneth R. Pelletier, PhD, MD, Clincal Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health, University of California School of Medicine (UCSF)
“Whether you’re struggling with a mental health problem, a GI problem, or just want to understand this whole gut thing a little better, Mayer’s book is pretty eye-opening.”
— SELF Online Read full review
“If you want to revamp your approach to food, learn the dangers of the typical North American diet and understand the way your body and mind operate in tandem, this book is for you.”
— Hadassah Magazine Read full review
“We are perennially drawn to research on the gut but Dr. Mayer is really writing for anyone looking to understand how their body works, and (most importantly) how to retrain your two brains to communicate better.”
— Goop Read full review
“The Mind Gut Connection is a fascinating amalgam of research, clinical experience, anecdote and a healthy dose of informed speculation.”
— The Sensitive Gut Read full review
“The Mind-Gut Connection teaches us how, with a few simple changes to our diet and lifestyle, we can develop a happier mind-set, enhanced immunity, a decreased risk of developing neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and even lose weight.”
— Own Your Health Foundation Read full review
Advance Praise
“Dr. Emeran Mayer exquisitely leverages the leading edge of neuroscience that links all manner of brain function to what goes on in the digestive system. The Mind-Gut Connection presents the incredibly humbling reality that our very perception and interpretation of the world around us is virtually dictated by the microbes living within us. This book redefines what it means to be healthy and eloquently provides the means to manifest that goal.”— David Perlmutter, MD, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Grain Brain and Brain Maker
“Drawing on his vast experience as a practicing gastroenterologist, Dr. Emeran Mayer writes about the connections that our brains have with our guts, especially with the microbes that make the gut their home. Describing a rapidly advancing realm of knowledge, this thoughtful and easy-to-read guide provides practical advice to improve health.”— Martin J. Blaser, MD, author of Missing Microbes
“After a long period of neglect, the enteric nervous system has been recognized as the second brain. Dr. Emeran Mayer, a true expert on this topic, has now written the best lay-public guide yet to this spectacular part of ourselves. Recommended reading.”— Antonio Demasio, MD, PhD, author of Descartes’ Error, The Feeling of What Happens, and The Self Comes to Mind
“Microbiome research is revolutionizing our understanding of the human body and the brain. In — Rob Knight, PhD, author of Follow Your Gut and Director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation, UC San Diego
“I have known Emeran Mayer for years and have learned to pay attention to what he says and writes. The Mind-Gut Connection is a delight. It is both scholarly and fun to read, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about how the mind and gut communicate.”
— Michael D. Gershon, MD, author of The Second Brain
“Dr. Emeran Mayer has synthesized his vast clinical experience of working with patients with an in depth scientific understanding of brain-gut interactions into this fascinating book about health and disease. The Mind-Gut Connection is a revolutionary new holistic view of what keeps us healthy, ranging from the food choices we make to the ways we can train our mind, with the ultimate goal of attaining optimal health.”— Kenneth R. Pelletier, PhD, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health, University of California School of Medicine (UCSF)
Amazon Reviews
“There is sure no shortage of trade books on the microbiome and the list of books is bound to proliferate given the popularity of the topic. This book separates itself from the pack in a number of ways. First, Dr Mayer is one of the select group of scientists worldwide whose work has helped fuel research into what we know about the microbiome and its importance to our health. While other scientists saw painful medical disorders like irritable bowel syndrome as a “psychiatric disorder” Dr Mayer was conducting research showing that the brain has a far more powerful and complex role in tipping the balance between health and illness than just governing our mental wellbeing. Because he knows what he is talking about, the reader can feel confident that the material is accurate, trust worthy, and backed by evidence tested in rigorous laboratory settings. This is no small feat among the growing number of books chock full of half-truths, exaggerations, and outright inaccuracies that make it hard for the reader to separate fact from fiction. Second, Dr Mayer emphasizes the importance not only of how our mood, behaviors like our activity level and what we eat and drink, and mindset can impact the collection of microbes that colonize the human body but how our microbiome can in turn impact the brain. There is no other book available that covers so much terrain with such expertise and precision. Third, the book is an easy read, written in such an engaging and non-technical manner that even the person whose last science book was in 10th grade bio class will find this book a pleasure to read, making it far and away the best microbiome book out there for general audience. Finally, as a gifted clinician, Dr Mayer concludes the book with some “nuts and bolts” strategies for how to make simple lifestyle changes that put in practice what microbiome research tells us about how to optimize our health. A+: Recommend wholeheartedly”
By Dr Jeffrey Lackner, Behavioral Medicine Clinic, University at Buffalo, SUNY on July 8, 2016
“I am half way through this book, I am loving it. It is fascinating and intriguing. Dr. Mayer is a serious scientist and a masterful story teller. He is truly a Great Teacher, as a doctor should be. He makes it fun and easy to learn a difficult subject, especially for a layman (or a laywoman) like me. I highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone who is serious about mental/physical health, biology, nutrition, functional medicine and integrative medicine. Thank you, Dr. Mayer for this gift! We need more doctors/scientists think and teach like you.”
By Angeline Andrewson on December 29, 2016
“I am perhaps a third of the way through your book on the mind-gut connection. I could not resist the opportunity to say that your book is nothing less than extraordinary and a great service to humanity. I myself have had my share of gastroenterolgical related issues, and already what I have read has explained many of my own personal difficulties/experiences. Your book is both eminently readable and informative to a general audience. I congratulate you on the greatness of both your book, and your technical research!”
By Martin Belloon on January 2, 2017
“There are countless numbers of books available today that use “science” to explain why you should be eating a certain way, taking certain supplements (usually what the author is selling), or exercising a certain way. Bottom line is: nutrition is very hard to talk about and it’s very hard to find books/authors/speakers who are actually knowledgeable about the subject. Even if an author is knowledgeable about the subject, most of the time it’s really hard to actually understand the concepts they try to convey in their writing.
This book stands out not only because Dr. Emeran Mayer is a brilliant scientist, but because he also uses common language to explain very complex scientific concepts. And the best part is: he’s not trying to sell you anything.
In my search for literature about the microbiome and its connection to the brain, I’ve come across several books. Two of them stand out to me for bad reasons: Brain Maker by David Perlmutter and Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Natasha Campbell-McBride. These books, in my opinion, don’t necessarily use scientific findings of the gut-brain connection correctly. They both “show” through their anecdotes of clinical experiments that changing someone’s diet can completely reverse autism, MS, depression/anxiety, and countless others. They also tell you to buy very expensive products or give yourself fecal enemas to cure any of your ailments. Through my own extensive scientific literature search, I knew the microbiome played a large role in our stress response, brain development, and overall well-being, but I knew these authors (and probably countless others) were overplaying the role that it has in disease states.
I started to feel a little discouraged, like none of the prominent voices in this field were actually trying to publish books just for the sake of informing people about how their food choices affect their overall health. Then, I came across this book. I didn’t know who Dr. Mayer was, but a friend recommended this book to me. In this book, Dr. Mayer describes basically all the scientific evidence to date that outlines what we know about the gut microbiome and how it’s connected to the brain. He does so in a way that makes it easy for people outside of science to understand what he is saying, which is a powerful gift that many prominent researchers lack. Additionally, unlike many other authors, he is actually involved in the field both as a scientific researcher and physician. This adds to his credibility. He also gives very concrete, simple, scientifically sound changes one can make to their diet that will help them thrive. By no means does he overplay the role the microbiome plays in disease, rather, he is able to accurately convey the beauty of our body and how all of our systems (including the microbial communities thriving in our bodies) are interconnected. Which is something I believe is lacking in our current medical model.”
By Margareton on December 28, 2016
“Excellent x a million, read it twice!”
By alvira galbraithon on December 10, 2016
“This book was recommended by my rheumatologist. It explains a lot about how I got to this state with my autoimmune problems. But it is more that that. Leads you to a starting point on how to improve your health young and old alike.”
By Christine Halvorsonon on December 4, 2016