Gut Feelings:
How Probiotics Affect Your Mood and Emotions
Do you ever have a “gut feeling” about something? Maybe you get a feeling in your stomach when you’re nervous or anxious. Or perhaps you’ve noticed that certain foods can affect your mood in a positive or negative way.
It turns out that there’s a strong connection between our gut and our brain. The two are connected by a complex network of neurons, hormones, and immune cells that work together to regulate everything from our digestion to our emotions.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. They’re often referred to as “good” or “friendly” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.
You can find probiotics in certain foods, such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut. You can also take probiotics as a supplement.
The Gut-Brain Axis
The gut-brain axis is the communication network between our gut and our brain. It’s a bidirectional pathway that allows our gut and brain to send signals back and forth.
Recent research has shown that the gut-brain axis plays a key role in regulating our mood and emotions. In fact, the gut is often referred to as the “second brain” because it contains so many neurons and neurotransmitters.
One of the ways that the gut-brain axis affects our mood is through the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that’s often called the “feel-good” hormone because it helps regulate our mood, sleep, and appetite.
Interestingly, about 90% of the serotonin in our body is produced in the gut. So, it makes sense that keeping our gut healthy with probiotics could help improve our mood and emotions.
Probiotics and Mood
There’s a growing body of research that suggests that probiotics can help improve our mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
For example, one study found that taking a probiotic supplement for just four weeks led to a significant reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Another study found that giving probiotics to healthy volunteers led to a decrease in negative thoughts associated with sad mood, as well as an increase in positive thoughts associated with happy mood.
While these studies are promising, more research is needed to fully understand the link between probiotics and mood.
Probiotics and Stress
Stress is a common trigger for many health problems, including digestive issues and mental health disorders like anxiety and depression.
Research has shown that the right balance of bacteria in our gut can help protect against stress and its negative effects. In fact, studies have found that people who take probiotics have lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in their body.
One study also found that taking a probiotic supplement for just three weeks led to a significant reduction in symptoms of stress, as well as an improvement in memory and cognitive function.
Choosing the Right Probiotic
There are many different strains of probiotics, and each one has its own unique benefits. When choosing a probiotic supplement, it’s important to look for one that contains the strains that have been shown to be effective in clinical studies.
Some of the most well-studied strains of probiotics include:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Bifidobacterium longum
It’s also important to choose a high-quality supplement that’s been tested for purity and potency.
Conclusion
Probiotics are an important part of a healthy diet and have many benefits for our gut health and overall well-being. The gut-brain axis is a fascinating area of research that’s shedding light on the complex relationship between our gut and our brain.
