Eating Better And Taking Probiotics May Be Key To Alleviating Anxiety
Anxiety, a common mental health issue that impacts many adults at some point during their lives, may be reduced through a combination of probiotic supplements and improving one's diet. The findings come from a review of existing research performed by a team from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine's Shanghai Mental Health Center. The results build upon an existing body of evidence hinting at a profound gut-brain link.READ: Gut bacteria research paves way for probiotic depression treatment
The observational study looked at a total of 21 high-quality studies involving a total of more than 1,500 people. Fourteen of the 21 studies involved the use of probiotics as a potential way to regulate intestinal microbiota, a type of intervention referred to as IRIF.
The remaining seven studies involved a collective assortment of non-probiotic intervention methods, which included changing the foods participants ate daily. The goal, in these cases, was changing the 'good bacteria' in one's gut in such a way that it would (hopefully) have a positive impact on anxiety levels.
Breaking down the numbers, the team found that 11 of 21 studies displayed positive changes on anxiety symptoms via the regulation of intestinal microbiota. That's a little over half of the reviewed studies at 52-percent; some studies found that IRIFs didn't have an effect on anxiety, however.
Looking specifically at the 14 studies that involved probiotics, a total of 36-percent had a positive effect on anxiety symptoms, whereas non-probiotic interventions had a huge 86-percent positive effect. The researchers speculate that dietary changes may have a more profound effect on one's gut bacteria versus taking probiotics, which simply introduce bacteria into the individual's gut.
It's also possible that the use of probiotics didn't last long enough to provide enough of a bacterial change to impact anxiety symptoms. Regardless, the results indicate that positive dietary changes and using probiotics to regulate gut bacteria may contribute to better mental health in individuals who suffer from anxiety.