Gut Bacteria Help Improve Mental Health

New research conducted by scientists links probiotics (live bacteria that help maintain a healthy digestive system) to changes in mood and mental health. Probiotics when ingested in adequate amounts offer enormous potential for the treatment of depression and other stress-related disorders.

While many of the numerous health-improvement claims have yet to be supported scientifically, it has been claimed that micro-organisms do exert positive effects in intestinal tracts, particularly when used to counteract the effects of antibiotics, which kill both 'bad' and 'good' bacteria.

Probiotics - Support System for the Gut
Probiotics are live microorganisms that resemble the “good bacteria” in our gut. Science is yet to fully explore the healing potential of probiotics; meanwhile some studies have ruled in their favor.

Over the past few years, studies have been undertaken to explore the possible impact of probiotics on behaviour. It is within this context that the concept of a psychobiotic has arisen.

Timothy Dinan and his colleagues from University College Cork in Ireland, define a psychobiotic as "a live organism that, when ingested in adequate amounts, produces a health benefit in patients suffering from psychiatric illness."

The gut microbiota, which contains approximately 1 kg of bacteria, can be modulated by diet and many other factors. It is not static and can change from day to day, starting at birth. Evidence has shown that even the form of delivery (vaginal versus cesarean) alters an individual's microbiota.

Depression Calculator
A quick, simple and anonymous self-assessment health tool to assess the level of depression using the famous Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale.

Dinan and his colleagues review one study that assessed the potential benefits of a specific probiotic, B. infantis, in rats displaying depressive behaviour due to maternal separation. The probiotic treatment normalized both their behaviour and their previously-abnormal immune response.

This preclinical study and others like it strongly support the hypothesis that probiotics have the potential to exert behavioural and immunological effects.

Quiz on Stress

Introduction

Stress has become one of the major health concerns in the modern world, but it is still difficult to define. Stress is a normal physical response when faced with a challenge, and in small doses, stress can motivate us and drive us to better performance. But stress overload is typically described as a negative concept that can have an impact on a person’s mental and physical well-being ().

There are 10 questions on ‘Stress’ in this quiz that will explore the depth of your knowledge and provide answers to the following:

Symptoms of stress ()
Stress hormone ()
Complication of chronic stress ()
Phobia ()
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ()

The study is published in Biological Psychiatry.

Source-ANI

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Few tips that could help you to manage depression. It is ok to be moody once in a while but if you feel moody for a longer period of time then it could be depression.