The Treatment of Depression Through Probiotics

Gut bacteria has been shown to provide many physical health benefits, including the strengthening of our immune system. However, research has shown that our gut bacteria can also have an effect on our mental health. Probiotics are live bacteria that we eat, which affect our gut microbiome, or the bacteria living in our gastrointestinal tract. Probiotics that have been found to be used in clinical settings of treating a variety of illnesses are named psychobiotics. Psychobiotics affect our gut-brain axis, which refers to the bidirectional relationship that occurs between our gastrointestinal tract and our neural system. This just means that our gut and our brain have a relationship that acts on each other. Our emotions can quite literally affect our gut and likewise. Studies have shown that there is a great difference between the gut microbiome of a healthy individual compared to that of a mentally ill individual. Bifidobacterium is a type of bacteria that has been found to be higher in healthy individuals than depressed individuals. A 6-week study found that Bifidobacterium longum allowed for less stimulation of negative responses to emotion in various areas of the brain, hence a reduced level of depression (Wallace, 2017). Bifidobacterium longum has also indicated that it can upregulate the release of neurotransmitters, improving mental health. Stress is another factor of depression, which also affects our gut by activating our body’s innate response to danger (sympathetic nervous system). Stress has the ability to alter the gastrointestinal tract, which in turn affects our brain. With the alteration of our brain, there is possibility for mental illness to arise. Yet, the gut microbiome is able to be recovered through the intake of probiotics. If you’re suffering from depression, probiotics are a beneficial component to include in your diet. Some sources of probiotics are yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, pickles, and sourdough bread.

References:

McEwen, B., & Fenasse, R. (2019). Probiotics and Depression: the link between the microbiome-gut-brain axis and digestive and mental health. Journal of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society, 25(3), 127–132.

Publishing, H. How to get more probiotics. Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-get-more-probiotics

Wallace CJK, Milev R. (2017). The effects of probiotics on depressive symptoms in humans: a systematic review. Ann Gen Psychiatry, 16:14.