What if boosting your mood was as simple as taking a daily supplement- with no side effects? Building on the well-established link between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis, a recent study suggests that probiotics, typically taken for digestive health, could help reduce negative emotions in as little as two weeks.
Earlier studies have shown the positive effects of probiotic supplements on mental health. In the latest study published in npj Mental Health Research, researchers tried to investigate the effects of a multispecies probiotic supplement on the daily moods of 88 healthy volunteers with an average age of 22.
During the trial, participants were given either a daily sachet of a probiotic mixture or a placebo for four weeks. The probiotic blend contained a diverse mix of nine bacterial strains, including Bifidobacterium bifidum, B. lactis, and various Lactobacillus and Lactococcus species, that are known to support both gut and emotional well-being. The placebo sachet was carefully matched in color, taste, and smell to ensure participants couldn’t tell the difference.
Participants completed well-known questionnaires on emotion regulation both before and after the intervention. In addition, participants received daily electronic reminders to report their mood and stool characteristics using an online link.
Researchers noted that participants who took probiotics experienced a reduction in negative mood starting around two weeks, while those on the placebo showed no such improvement.
This finding contradicts previous studies, which have only observed beneficial effects in individuals with existing mood issues. Based on the current results, researchers argue that probiotics can have a tangible effect on mood in healthy individuals, though this effect may be more easily detectable in those already experiencing mood challenges. They also noted that this benefit might not be easily captured using the typical mood questionnaires commonly used in many studies.
“This is the first study to implement daily mood monitoring to assess the effects of probiotics, and in fact, by the end of the month-long study, their negative mood still appears to be improving,” Katerina Johnson, first author of the study told Healthline.
However, the study does not suggest that individuals with existing psychological disorders should discontinue their medications or therapy and solely rely on supplements.
