Probiotic consumption has been shown to reverse depression symptoms
An animal study in 2017 from the University of Virginia School of Medicine indicated that Lactobacillus, a single gut bacterium commonly found in live cultures in yogurt, can reverse depression in rats. More recently, similar findings have been established in humans as well.
In 2010, Michael Messaoudi and his colleagues studied fifty-five healthy men and women who were randomly assigned to receive either a daily probiotic formula or a placebo for thirty days. Before and after treatment, the research subjects filled out questionnaires about their mood. They also provided urine samples so that their levels of cortisol could be checked. Compared to the placebo group, those in the probiotic group reported less depression, and urinary levels of cortisol were lower, indicating that their brains were less depressed and less stressed. Why was this the case? Certain species of gut bacteria have the ability to boost levels of brain chemicals such as gamma-aminobutyric acid, which may speed relief from depression and other mental health conditions
References
- Naidoo, Uma. (2020). This is Your Brain on Food Chapter 2. Depression Probiotics, Omega-3s, and the Mediterranean Eating Pattern (p. 38). New York, NY: Little Brown Spark.
Metadata
Type:🔴 Tags: Biology / Biochemistry / Nutrition / Psychiatry / Neuroscience Status:☀️