A Dutch study has found that consuming yogurt or dietary supplements rich in probiotics may help alleviate negative feelings such as anxiety, stress, and fatigue.
اضافة اعلان
Researchers from Leiden University in the Netherlands explained that these findings support the scientific hypothesis of a strong connection between gut health and mental health. The results were published Thursday in the journal npj Mental Health Research.
The research focused on the impact of probiotics—beneficial bacteria that support digestive and immune health—on the mental well-being of healthy individuals.
Probiotics occur naturally in foods such as yogurt, fermented cheese, pickles, and other fermented products. They are also available in supplement form.
In recent years, interest in probiotics has grown due to their potential mental health benefits, particularly concerning the gut-brain axis, which links digestive health with mood and emotions.
The study involved a group of healthy young adults who consumed probiotic supplements daily for one month.
Participants’ mental states were assessed through daily questionnaires, computerized tests, and self-written mood reports, evaluating how they managed their emotions.
The researchers found that those who consumed probiotics experienced a significant reduction in negative emotions, including anxiety, stress, fatigue, and mild depressive symptoms, compared to participants who received a placebo.
Mood improvements began to emerge after just two weeks of probiotic use—about the same time it takes for antidepressants to start working, according to the findings.
Interestingly, probiotics reduced only negative emotions without affecting positive ones, unlike antidepressants, which tend to influence overall mood in both directions.
Despite the encouraging results, the researchers emphasized that probiotics are not a substitute for antidepressants in individuals diagnosed with clinical depression. The study also showed that people who are more risk-averse or have certain personality traits may benefit more from probiotics.
Additionally, a slight improvement was noted in participants’ ability to recognize facial expressions, suggesting a possible influence of probiotics on emotional signal processing.
The researchers described probiotics as a natural and relatively safe option that may help improve mental well-being in some cases, especially for prevention or early intervention.
They called for further studies to confirm the results and explore the potential of using probiotics to prevent the escalation of negative emotions into full-blown mental health disorders like depression.
(Agencies)
