New UK research has found eating a diet that includes probiotic foods, or a combination of both probiotic and prebiotic foods, may help ease depression and anxiety.
To look at how pre- and probiotics could potentially be used as a therapeutic treatment for depression and/or anxiety disorders, UK researchers reviewed seven existing studies which had investigated the effect of eating a diet that includes pre- and probiotic foods on these mental health conditions.
Probiotics are live microorganisms which are thought to improve or restore the natural balance of bacteria in the gut, while prebiotics are indigestible compounds in food that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. All of the studies had investigated at least one strain of pre- and probiotics, while four had looked at combinations of multiple strains.
The findings, published today in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, showed that there was no statistically significant association between prebiotics alone and improvements in depression or anxiety.
However, each of the studies showed a significant decrease or improvement in biochemical measures of depression and/or anxiety, and/or symptoms of anxiety and depression, when eating a diet that includes probiotics alone or a combination or pre- and probiotics, compared with no treatment or taking a placebo. They also found that out of the 12 strains included in the study, 11 were found to be effective.
