What if I told you that what you eat can help you to get rid of stress, anxiety and depression – No, I am not talking about the usual mood uplifter chocolate! This is just in – Probiotics For Depression…

Yes! The good bacteria already present in your gut (Probiotics) is a sure shot solution to take care of depression and anxiety. Before we discuss this, Let us find out a little more about probiotics.

What are Probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut, when administered externally in adequate amounts, they confer a health benefit on the host (in this case us). They can be used as a Complementary and Alternative Medicine to prevent and treat certain illnesses and support general wellness. The action of probiotics are  strain specific, i.e. only particular type of microorganism can be used for combating a particular health condition. Some popular probiotic foods used in day to day life are Yogurt, Buttermilk, Kimchi, Kefir, etc.

Probiotics And Depression

Researchers have been contemplating and debating a strong link between the gut and brain for long. They suspect that bowel disorders are linked to  psychiatric disorders like anxiety and stress.  In a recent research conducted on mice, (that serve as perfect replica models to understand human brain aspects) it was found that feeding them probiotic broth decreased both depression and anxiety. Broth made  with Lactobacillus rhamnosus (a species that naturally lives in our digestive system) reduced corticosterone levels in bacteria fed mice too. Corticosterone (contextual to fear conditioning) is a special steroid hormone which gets elevated when a person is under pressure or stress.

Further investigation carried out in the brains of the bacteria fed mice to figure out  the probiotic-stress relation revealed that they focused on receptors for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) – just like the anti-anxiety drug Valium. GABA is a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating central nervous system activities and many physiological and psychological processes. GABA receptor component was higher in broth-fed rats which is usually lower during depression.

Thus, it was proved that consuming food containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus can reduce depression in humans too. So let your gut rule you brain!

Enjoy mouthwatering, health-promoting probiotic foods not only to tackle depression but also experience an assortment of Health Benefits. Read more about How To Use Probiotics In Daily Diet.

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