General advice about buying probiotics
There are many different probiotics available to buy. This area is relatively unregulated, and many probiotics on the market may not have been rigorously tested. A probiotic product should give information on the genus (group) of bacteria as well as the species and strain. This is important, as while one particular species or strain of Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillus might be effective for improving anxiety or mood, another strain may have no effect. The product should also give information on the number of live bacteria in the product, the colony forming unit (CFU) count. Although optimal dosages of probiotics have not been quantified at this point, most human psychobiotic trials use products containing at least one billion (1 × 109) CFU/day. When buying probiotics look at what research has been done on the product. Has it been tested in human trials? Has it been tested in healthy subjects or in people diagnosed with depression or anxiety? Have the results of these trials been published in peer-reviewed journals? Many companies will have a helpline that you can call for information.
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General advice about diet
An alternative to buying probiotic supplements may be to increase your intake of fermented foods such as kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, and so on. These foodstuffs contain live bacterial cultures and are thought to be beneficial for maintaining a healthy microbiome. However, there have been very few human trials specifically assessing the impact of these foodstuffs on psychological function. You can also take prebiotics that encourage the growth of certain beneficial bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics are found naturally in foodstuffs such as leeks, asparagus, onions, garlic, chicory, banana, wheat bran, and wheat flour. There is good evidence that a healthy diet, in particular a Mediterranean diet, is protective against depression. Whether this is through an action on the microbiome or another mechanism is unknown. As well as protecting against the development of depression, switching to a Mediterranean diet may also help treat existing depression alongside antidepressant medication.
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Depression and probiotics
Patients with depression have been shown to have differences in microbiome makeup when compared to those without depression. If mice are colonized with the microbiome from a patient with depression, they begin to display depressive-like symptoms, suggesting that the microbiome may play a role in causing depression. Certain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotics may be helpful for improving mood, predominantly in those with low mood and other symptoms of depression, as opposed to people with normal mood. Probiotics seem to be less beneficial for mood in people over the age of 65.
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Anxiety and probiotics:
Animal studies have shown that the gut microbiome plays a vital role in the development and function of the stress-response system. Probiotics have been shown to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety behaviors in rodents. Certain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotics may be helpful in reducing anxiety and stress in healthy humans. To date, there have been no trials of probiotics in people with specific anxiety disorders.
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