A new study suggests that a supplement added to the daily routine could reduce the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.
Probiotics can improve the symptoms of depression, a new photo study neuroaxis.ro shows
Anxiety and depression are complex conditions, but the new study has found that the addition of probiotics to the daily routine can have a significant impact on their symptoms, writes Woman's Health magazine.
For the study published in the NPJ mental Health Research, the researchers recruited 88 people who had not taken antibiotics or probiotics in the last three months and who did not use any drugs (except for hormonal contraceptives).
Half of the participants received probiotics containing nine common bacterial strains, and the other half received a placebo, which they had to take daily for four weeks. Before and after the study period, the participants were asked to answer questions about their emotional state, but also about digestive health.
At the end of the study period, the researchers found that the people in the group who took probiotics reported fewer negative states such as anxiety, stress, fatigue or depression, compared to those in the placebo group. “I discovered a clear signal that probiotics improve the negative mood for healthy volunteers, based on daily reporting.”the researchers wrote in the study.
“This is the first study to follow the participants' mood to evaluate the effects of probiotics daily and, in fact, until the end of the four weeks of study, their negative emotional state seemed to continue to improve.”says Katerina will Johnson, doctor in science and the main author of the study, postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University.
What are probiotics
Probiotics are living microorganisms which, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), are designed to benefit health when ingested or applied to the body.
Most microorganisms found in probiotic products and supplements are similar to bacteria that live naturally in the body. Thus, probiotics are usually used to support healthy digestion and to maintain a balanced intestinal microbiome, according to NCCIH.
Research on probiotics is still in progress, but NCCIH says they could have the following effects on health:
1. Helps the body maintain a healthy intestinal microbiome or bring it back to a balanced state
2. Produce short -chain fatty acids that have a beneficial effect on the body and intestine
3. I support the immune system
How can I help in conditions such as stress, anxiety and depression
This aspect is still in progress. “We do not have more information about the mechanism of the intestine-brain connection as a result of this study“Says Thea Gallagher, doctor in psychology, clinical associate professor at Nyu Langone Health and Co-Gazda of Podcastului Mind in View. “But it seems that we are approaching the understanding of why this connection exists and how it works.”
However, the new discoveries have perfect logic for Ashkan Farhadi, gastroenterologist at the Orange Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. “The intestine-brain axis is now extended and becomes the intestine-brain-microbioma”he says. Dr. Farhadi emphasizes that most serotonin – the main neurotransmitter that influences the mood and happiness – is produced in the intestine.
“Bacteria are nearby and modulate the function of the intestine”he explains. “It is not surprising that they can influence these neurotransmitters, but it is through a mechanism that we do not fully understand.”
Johnson adds that probiotics and antidepressants may influence common systems in the body. “Improving the mood in those who have taken probiotics begins to appear after about two weeks – the same period of time in which, usually the effects of antidepressants are felt.”she says.
“It is possible that both antidepressants and probiotics may influence the mood through common ways.”Johnson continues. “We know that both can transmit signals to the brain through the vague nerve – the main nerve that connects the intestine to the brain – and also that both have anti -inflammatory effects.”
