The Link Between Probiotics & Depression

Rose S. | July 23, 2018 | Alternative Health, Natural Health News

Probiotics show promising results for those suffering from depression, according to this recent research…

In recent years, you’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of maintaining a healthy gut bacterial balance. Keeping the beneficial “bugs” in your digestive tract happy and healthy can impact numerous areas of your overall health, but one area that has just recently begun to receive more attention is the connection between gut health and mental health.

Not only has gut health been linked to issues such as dementia and addiction, but even depression may have ties to your microbiome.

For example, in one recent study from McMaster University,

…Lactobacillus bacteria (in particular) was found to reverse depressive behavior in mice. The researchers determined that it did so by altering their gut microbiome – which refers to the population of friendly microorganisms in the intestines.

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Simply put: stress seems to lead to the loss of Lactobacillus in the gut – which in turn paves the way for the symptoms of depression. Lactobacillus levels in the gut microbiome also influence kynurenine levels, a blood metabolite associated with the onset of depression and suicide.

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However, Lactobacillus supplementation reverses the symptoms of depression. Stressed mice receiving Lactobacillus – daily – for three weeks were no longer depressed. The researchers believe inflammation in the brain might also play a role in depressive behaviors.

Another study found improvements in both mood and gastrointestinal health through the use of probiotics:

The research looked at adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and found they reported improvements from both their gastrointestinal issues and depression from a specific probiotic versus those taking a placebo.

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For the study, 44 adults with mild to moderate anxiety or depression and IBS were followed for 10 weeks. Half of the group took Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 probiotic daily, while the other half took a placebo.

After six weeks, 64 percent of those taking the probiotic showed reduced depression markers versus 32 percent from the placebo group. An MRI scan showed improvements in various brain areas associated with mood and emotional control.