A new study suggests probiotics, commonly used for gut health, may also improve mood. Here’s what the latest research reveals about the link between gut microbes and mental well-being.
Probiotics, the beneficial microbes often associated with gut health, might also have a positive impact on mood. A recent study published in *npj Mental Health Research* found that participants who took probiotics for a month saw improvements in their mood. However, the same effect was not observed in the results from traditional psychological questionnaires.
“We can’t define ‘negative feelings’ the same way for everyone,” said Dr. Laura Steenbergen, the study author and assistant professor at Leiden University in the Netherlands. “This finding suggests probiotics might help address various negative feelings, such as anxiety, depression, or fatigue, depending on the individual.”
Probiotics are supplements containing living microorganisms that benefit health when consumed in appropriate amounts. These beneficial microbes can also be found in fermented foods like yogurt.
The study involved 88 healthy participants. Half took daily probiotics, while the other half received a placebo. The probiotics used were a mixture of nine different bacterial strains from Winclove Probiotics, a company in the Netherlands. Participants dissolved the probiotics in lukewarm water every day.
At the beginning and end of the month, participants filled out 10 psychological questionnaires and rated their daily moods on a scale from 0 to 100. They also provided stool assessments. While both groups reported similar scores on the psychological questionnaires and daily positive mood ratings, the probiotics group showed a noticeable reduction in negative mood after just two weeks.
The results showed a disconnect between the daily mood ratings and the psychological questionnaire scores. This suggests that standard mood evaluation methods might not capture the subtle effects of probiotics.
Dr. Valerie Taylor, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Calgary, explained that a more personalized approach might be necessary for measuring mood. “We can’t rely solely on standardized symptom screenings. It’s important to ask people how they feel on a day-to-day basis,” she said.
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