Science is coming around to understanding the gut-brain connection and the effects that good gut bacteria have on human health. In fact, it’s now well understood that having a robust colony of good gut bacteria in your digestive tract is a marker of good health. Scientists are now almost universally decided that a healthy gut microbiome is essential not only for good digestion, but also for a healthy immune system and, surprisingly, a healthy mental state.

The human body contains approximately 10 times more bacterial cells than human cells. Around three pounds of this bacteria lives in the gut in an internal bacterial colony. Research into the effects of this gut microbiome have now found that the health of the gut greatly affects the health of the brain.

Clinical trials and other kinds of studies have found evidence to support the idea that probiotics, which improve the health of the gut, are able to ease the symptoms of anxiety and depression. One such study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, found that study participants who consumed probiotics had improved depression scores, providing evidence to the gut-brain connection.

A study conducted at the William and Mary University in 2014 found that students who ate more fermented foods such as yogurt were less likely to suffer from anxiety. There are, of course, many other factors that can affect the onset of anxiety and depression. The study concluded that, for those who are at a higher genetic risk of developing anxiety, fermented foods may offer protection against its onset. The researchers also suggest that fermented foods and probiotics may be a low-risk treatment for anxiety. The researchers have also urged psychiatry professionals and health officials to consider diet’s impact on overall mental health.

Other benefits of probiotics

Probiotics don’t just positively affect your mental health. Probiotics are best known for their ability to restore the natural balance of friendly bacteria in your digestive system. An imbalance would lead to digestive issues, allergies and, as already states, mental health concerns.

Probiotics are also widely known for their ability to both reduce your risk of diarrhea and prevent its severity if you already have it. Specifically, probiotics are great at preventing the onset of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, however probiotics are also capable of reducing the risk of other kinds of diarrhea.

Probiotics are also capable of protecting you against other digestive disorders, such as the many different inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) such as ulcerative colitis. Studies have shown that certain kinds of probiotics are effective in improving the symptoms and maintaining the remission of people who have ulcerative colitis. Furthermore, having probiotics in your gut also reduces your risk of developing severe necrotizing enterocolitis, a bowel condition that can prove fatal that develops in infants.

Moving away from the gut, several studies have found that probiotics are able to boost the health of your immune system. They do this thanks to their ability to inhibit the growth of harmful gut bacteria and by promoting the production of some of the body’s natural antibodies. They’re also known to boost the power of immune cells such as IgA-producing cells, T lymphocytes and natural killer cells.

Lastly, certain strains of probiotics are able to keep your heart healthy by lowering your blood pressure and the amount of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) in your body.

The next time you do your grocery shopping, consider adding some disease-curing probiotics such as yogurt, miso, picked, sauerkraut and some fermented cheeses. Not only will your mental health thank you for it, but your overall physical health will improve as well.

Sources:

Healthline.com 1

TheEpochTimes.com

Healthline.com 2