Probiotics Have Been Shown To Be Effective Against Depression

Probiotics have been shown to be effective against depression

Seven studies have shown probiotics and prebiotics are better than placebo in treating depression. But scientists believe that larger and longer scientific work is needed to confirm this.

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A new review shows probiotics and prebiotics have potential in treating depression. Research paper published in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.

Microbes useful for the human body are called probiotics. They can be found in foods or dietary supplements. Prebiotics are substances that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines.

Scientists from the University of Brighton and Croydon University Hospital have reviewed 71 studies on how probiotics and prebiotics affect depression and anxiety. They recognized only seven scientific papers of sufficient quality to be included in the review. It included studies of 12 strains of probiotic bacteria, the most common of which were Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Prebiotics have been used in two studies.

All studies have demonstrated the superiority of probiotics and prebiotics over placebo in the fight against depression. The research findings spoke of "significant improvement." But there was not enough data to draw a conclusion about their effect on anxiety.

Although the studies selected by the researchers were of good quality, the results of their review were preliminary. This means that the review demonstrates the feasibility of conducting larger studies on this topic. This was stated by Allan Young, professor at King's College London. His comment for Science Media Center is quoted by CNN.

The review authors pointed out that a number of limitations prevent probiotics from being called a truly effective drug at this time. The point is that the studies reviewed were relatively short and relatively small.

The exact mechanism by which probiotics might affect mood is unknown. Scientists hypothesize that they may reduce the levels of inflammatory mediators in the body. They also do not exclude that depression may have concomitant diseases that exacerbate it (for example, irritable bowel syndrome), and probiotics affect them. But a recent review found that there was insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of probiotics in digestive diseases.