| Life Young Health

Can eating probiotics bring you a good mood? Gut health can help fight depression!

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In recent years, mental health has received increasing public attention, helping more people understand the close relationship between the brain and emotional disorders. However, it turns out that the gut is also intimately connected to emotional health! A major discovery in medicine has challenged conventional understanding: the root cause may lie in the gut. The widely discussed term in recent years, the “Gut-Brain Axis,” highlights the close connection between the gut and the brain.

How the large intestine and the brain are connected?

In the past, people often mentioned emotional disorders, such as depression and anxiety, which are caused by an imbalance of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain. Serotonin regulates feelings and emotions, causing patients to experience negative emotions for two weeks or longer. The main symptoms include feeling persistently sad or unhappy for no reason, being prone to self-blame and negative thoughts, losing confidence and hope, experiencing changes in appetite, and frequent insomnia; physically, one may experience digestive discomfort, fatigue, headaches, and so on.

But do you know where serotonin is produced in the body? It turns out that the gut is not only responsible for digestion but also produces over 90% of serotonin, with 8% in the bloodstream and only about 2% in the brain. In other words, most serotonin is synthesized in the gut. When the gut ecosystem is balanced, serotonin is adequately secreted, maintaining stable emotions; conversely, when the gut environment is disrupted, people are more likely to feel anxious and unsettled.

Imbalanced gut health—beware of triggering depressive symptoms

The term “gut-brain axis” illustrates that the brain and the gut have a two-way communication system. Therefore, by addressing gut health, it is possible to help improve emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and insomnia.

Clinical studies have also found that the gut microbiota composition of patients with depression differs significantly from that of non-depressed individuals. This indicates that gut microbes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of depression. Some studies have even found that by altering the gut microbiota, patients’ depressive symptoms can be improved.

Probiotics have a positive impact on depression

Probiotics play a key role in maintaining a balanced gut microbiome. When the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the gut is disrupted, it can lead to what is known as “gut dysbiosis,” a condition linked to the onset of various health issues, including depression.

Consuming probiotics can help restore this balance in the gut. This not only supports digestive health but may also positively influence mood by reducing gut inflammation, regulating the immune system, and modulating signals along the gut-brain axis.

Research indicates that specific probiotic strains can affect the brain’s emotional centers, potentially alleviating depressive symptoms. For example, certain strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium have been shown to reduce anxiety and depression-related symptoms, highlighting the beneficial impact of probiotics on mental well-being.