The bacteria in our gut affect everything from our mood to disease state; this has been titled the gut-brain axis. Increased understanding of this axis has led to theories about what causes mental health disorders.
One early theory is that a cause of anxiety and depression might be due to alterations in the early gut microbiota potentially caused by multiple factors, such as antibiotic exposure, a C-section or stress exposure. It has also been suggested that genetics may play a part.
The known routes of communication between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis, are:
- Gut hormone signalling
- Vagus nerve
- The immune system
- Microbial metabolism
What are psychobiotics
Psychobiotics are defined as “a live organism that, when ingested in adequate amounts, produces a health benefit in patients suffering from psychiatric illness”. It has also been discussed that prebiotics should also be included in this definition.
The gut microbiota is viewed as a key regulator of the “fluent bidirectional dialogue” between the gut and the brain. Understanding how psychobiotics affect the routes of communication will be one of the key pieces of evidence to further understand the action of psychobiotics.
The proposed mechanisms of psychobiotics are:
- Increase in microbial richness
- Increase in bacteria which produce short chain fatty acids
- Effect on the neuroendocrine stress response
- Production of neurotransmitters
- Presence of anti-inflammatory properties
At present, it is not possible to state definitively that psychobiotics exist. There are too few reliable studies published. However, there are promising areas of research to indicate where studies should continue to be carried out.
Conclusion
There is insufficient evidence at present to recommend psychobiotics as a first step in the treatment of anxiety and depression. However, the current research is promising and we may well see more evidence emerging at a future date as we begin to understand gut health. Which in turn may help us understand how our diet is linked to anxiety and depression.
if you suffer from anxiety and depression and would like to speak to someone please see the link below for some useful resources. https://checkpointorg.com/global/
