Have you ever heard of psychobiotics? They’re a special kind of good gut bacteria, similar to the ones you find in yogurt, but these are extra special because they influence mood and how your body copes with stress! This is especially important when we’re busy and aiming to stay on top of things without burning out or compromising our health. Let’s explore what psychobiotics are, the pros and cons of using psychobiotics, and how you might use them to relief stress and anxiety, deal with challenging situations better, feel calmer and more focused.
can psychobiotics relief stress and anxiety
Can Psychobiotics Relief Stress & Anxiety?
What Are Psychobiotics?
As briefly mentioned, psychobiotics are special type of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) that when ingested in appropriate amount, they influence your gut – brain connection via vagus nerve amongst others.
That means that those bacteria in your gut can influence your nervous system, how you feel, how you think and your body responds to stress!
The most common spices of psychobiotics that can be used to relief stress and anxiety are: Lactobacillus helveticus, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei,Lactob acillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus reuteri, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus fermentum.
Each of them has slightly different benefit and function but today let’s focus on the big picture!
How Psychobiotics Can Help You Relief Stress and Anxiety?
Studies show that psychobiotics can improve stress response and relief anxiety by:
- Reducing inflammation – one of the key underlying causes of mental health problems including depression and anxiety. Psychobiotics positively affect the parameters of the intestinal barrier and modulate the immune response in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) area, which is involved in the development of inflammation. Psychobiotics also showed to increase anti-inflammatory cytokines and help to restore gut barrier. A healthy gut barrier keeps inflammation in check.
- Lowering cortisol levels (stress hormone) and HPA axis activity. Overactive HPA activity = anxiety.
- Modulating vagus function. Impaired vagus nerve function is not only linked with you feeling on edge and stressed but also with range of chronic diseases and autoimmune conditions.
Moreover, psychobiotics can help you to crowd out pathogenic ‘bad’ bacteria that interfere with your mood and they can also help you increase absorption of nutrients. Ultimately when your body has adequate level of nutrients it is able to repair and heal.
Can Psychobiotics Help You With Sleep and Depression?
Psychobiotics can enhance production of neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin. GABA is your calming neurotransmitter and serotonin is your ‘happy’ chemical. If you are deficient in GABA you may feel more anxious and also struggle with falling asleep or getting a good night sleep.
Serotonin on the other hand is you happy chemical that can help you improve your mood but it also counteracts the effect of cortisol (you stress hormone). Too much cortisol = poor sleep and also more anxiety.
how psychobiotics can help you relief stress and anxiety and feel better
Interestingly, about 95% of serotonin, or the ‘happiness hormone’, is produced in the gut.
Are There Any Side Effect of Psychobiotics?
Psychobiotics have many potential benefits with minimal risks if it comes to improving stress and anxiety. So is there anything you should know if it comes to side effects? Let’s have a look.
- Gastrointestinal discomfort. Psychobiotics, like many other probiotic supplements, they can exhibit some negative side effects like gastrointestinal discomfort – gas, bloating or constipation.
- They might not work for everyone. Just like some people don’t feel better after taking medicine, some might not feel different after taking psychobiotics if the underlying cause of your stress and anxiety is something different like heavy metals, parasites or downregulated COMT gene for example.
- They can make things worse. If for example you have SIBO (Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth), which is quite common with underactive thyroid, then psychobiotic can make things worse, especially if it comes to symptoms like, gas, bloating, fatigue or even brain fog.
Can You Get Psychobiotics From Food?
Yes and no… I know, it sounds ambiguous! The effectiveness really hinges on the fermentation process and the specific strains used. I consider food as a form of ‘maintenance’ for general health. However, to truly enhance how your body manages stress, anxiety, or worry, food alone might not suffice. In such cases, psychobiotics in supplement form can be a more potent and effective solution.
Summary
In summary, psychobiotics are a truly fascinating frontier in exploring the gut-brain connection and its profound impact on mental health. In my practice, I’ve observed remarkable improvements in managing stress, anxiety, and other mood disorders through carefully tailored strains and dosages. While the topics of stress and cortisol are often my focus, it’s undeniable that the health of the gut is equally crucial for mental well-being and overall vitality.