It is widely known that probiotics play an important role in gut health, which in turn can influence countless other bodily processes as well. After all, if your digestive system is encountering difficulty breaking down food and extracting nutrients, you will feel the effects physically and mentally over time.
Now though, an innovative team of researchers is beginning to explore a new and somewhat surprising potential application for this good bacteria. In a recent review published by Biological Psychiatry, scientists from the University of Cork in Ireland divulge details about a specific strain of probiotics that may provide brain support as alternative treatments for depression. This family of bacteria, dubbed "psychobiotics," is a relatively new concept, but the researchers expressed optimism about its potential.
"What is clear at this point is that, of the large number of putative probiotics, only a small percentage have an impact on behavior and may qualify as psychobiotics," noted Professor Timothy Dinan, one of the lead researchers involved with this discovery.
This concept stems in part from documented findings that infants who experience stress at an early stage may exhibit a different makeup of microbiome., Furthermore, various probiotics have been shown to combat inflammation, which is a physical response that can be induced by stress and depression.
This is only the beginning of this exploration, but future investigations may shed even more light on the complex influence that gut bacteria has on overall health. Click here to read information about our probiotic supplements.