Probiotics—often thought of as simply gut-friendly bacteria—may also play a powerful role in improving emotional well-being.
New research using daily mood reports revealed that taking probiotics for just a few weeks significantly reduced negative feelings like stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Interestingly, this shift wasn’t picked up by standard psychological tests, suggesting traditional tools might miss subtle emotional changes. The researchers also found that those who tend to avoid risks benefited more, and participants even became better at recognizing emotional expressions.
Probiotics May Help Ease Negative Emotions
Taking probiotics may help reduce negative emotions, according to new research by Katerina Johnson and Laura Steenbergen, published in npj Mental Health Research. The study also explored which individuals are most likely to benefit from these so-called “good” bacteria.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria available in supplement form—such as tablets or drinks—and are also found in fermented foods like yogurt, cheese, and sauerkraut. While they’re well-known for supporting digestive health, there’s growing interest in their potential impact on mental health as well.
“The gut–brain connection provides various routes through which bacteria in the gut can influence how we feel and behave, including via the vagus nerve, immune system, and hormones,” says Johnson.
Taking probiotics may help reduce negative emotions, according to new research by Katerina Johnson and Laura Steenbergen, published in npj Mental Health Research. The study also explored which individuals are most likely to benefit from these so-called “good” bacteria.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria available in supplement form—such as tablets or drinks—and are also found in fermented foods like yogurt, cheese, and sauerkraut. While they’re well-known for supporting digestive health, there’s growing interest in their potential impact on mental health as well.
“The gut–brain connection provides various routes through which bacteria in the gut can influence how we feel and behave, including via the vagus nerve, immune system, and hormones,” says Johnson.
Daily Mood Reports Reveal Subtle Changes
Although animal studies have shown promising effects of probiotics on brain function and behavior, human results have been mixed. To get a clearer picture, Johnson and Steenbergen combined multiple research methods to examine how probiotics might affect emotional regulation. These included psychological surveys, daily mood tracking, and computer-based tests that measure how people process emotional information. The study involved healthy young adults who took a daily probiotic containing strains such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium for one month.
This is the first study to use daily mood reports to assess the effects of probiotics. It clearly shows that probiotics can reduce negative feelings compared to a placebo. This could mean a reduction in feelings such as anxiety, stress, fatigue, or depressive tendencies. “It is striking that by simply asking participants how they were feeling each day, we could detect the beneficial effects of probiotics on mood,” says Steenbergen. “In contrast, the standard psychological questionnaires that are common in this field were not sensitive enough to pick up these changes.”
Not a Replacement for Antidepressants
The researchers found that it took about two weeks for the probiotics to improve negative feelings. It takes about the same amount of time for antidepressants to work, but whereas antidepressants tend to reduce both negative and positive mood, the results showed that the probiotics only reduced negative mood. This could be a possible benefit, although the researchers stress that probiotics should not be considered a substitute for antidepressants.
Although animal studies have shown promising effects of probiotics on brain function and behavior, human results have been mixed. To get a clearer picture, Johnson and Steenbergen combined multiple research methods to examine how probiotics might affect emotional regulation. These included psychological surveys, daily mood tracking, and computer-based tests that measure how people process emotional information. The study involved healthy young adults who took a daily probiotic containing strains such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium for one month.
This is the first study to use daily mood reports to assess the effects of probiotics. It clearly shows that probiotics can reduce negative feelings compared to a placebo. This could mean a reduction in feelings such as anxiety, stress, fatigue, or depressive tendencies. “It is striking that by simply asking participants how they were feeling each day, we could detect the beneficial effects of probiotics on mood,” says Steenbergen. “In contrast, the standard psychological questionnaires that are common in this field were not sensitive enough to pick up these changes.”
Not a Replacement for Antidepressants
The researchers found that it took about two weeks for the probiotics to improve negative feelings. It takes about the same amount of time for antidepressants to work, but whereas antidepressants tend to reduce both negative and positive mood, the results showed that the probiotics only reduced negative mood. This could be a possible benefit, although the researchers stress that probiotics should not be considered a substitute for antidepressants.
Risk-Averse People May Benefit More from Probiotics
When the researchers observed the decrease in negative feelings, they were keen to explore whether they could predict who would benefit most from probiotics. “We found that various traits, most notably a propensity for risk avoidance, were associated with a greater effect of probiotics on mood,” says Johnson.
In addition, the researchers found evidence that probiotics may affect the way participants process emotional cues. The participants who received probiotics were slightly more accurate at recognising facial expressions.
A Hopeful Future for Mood-Boosting Microbes
Many questions remain unanswered about how exactly probiotics work and their long-term effects. “Perhaps in the future probiotics could be used in a targeted way as an early intervention to reduce the chances of negative feelings progressing to mental health conditions such as depression, though more research would be needed to confirm that,” says Steenbergen.
Johnson and Steenbergen hope their findings will also spur other mental health researchers to include simple daily measures of mood in their studies. As they conclude in their paper, “In an attempt to delineate the complexity of the human brain and emotion, we cannot lose sight of asking the obvious. Sometimes the most simple questions reveal the most meaningful answers.”
The Life of Earth
https://chuckincardinal.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Stick to the subject, NO religion, or Party politics