What are Psychobiotics?
Psychobiotics refer to a group of probiotics made up of live microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and viruses which can help to improve mental health. They live and function in the gut and have a direct effect on the brain as they have bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain.
Neurotransmitters pass signals from the brain through the Vagus nerve to the gut and back, regulating mood, stress, and anxiety. This connection between the gut and brain is often known as the “second brain”.
When people develop symptoms of anxiety or depression it’s likely that they are producing insufficient levels of serotonin and dopamine. Both of these chemicals help to control mood, sleep, digestion, emotions, cognitive performance, and memory.
It’s known that over 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut and 50% of dopamine is also produced in the gut. So, when people develop mental health issues, it’s likely that they are producing insufficient amounts of serotonin and dopamine in the gut.
The reason for a lack of production of these chemicals is usually due to inflammation in the gut and the brain. This can often be due to eating a diet high in processed foods leading to an imbalanced microbiome.
Processed foods are foods that contain chemicals or compounds that have been altered and can cause damage to the gut microbiome. These can include preservatives, monosodium glutamate, food colorings, grilling bi-products, curing bi-products, or any other processing-related compounds.
Foods that include the above additives include ready meals, pizzas, sausages, bacon, burgers, carbonated drinks, alcohol, pies, instant noodles, sweets, take-away meals, some breakfast cereals, ice cream, biscuits, and any other food that has been processed in any way.
When imbalances of the gut occur, this can lead to increased inflammation which disrupts the good bacteria and increases the risk of producing bad bacteria and toxins which can cause tight junctions in the gut to open up in the gut to allow harmful bacteria and toxins to enter the bloodstream. This can lead to a number of disease processes including diabetes, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, and other auto-immune diseases as well as mental health disorders.
What can you do to counterbalance these effects?
Research has shown that one of the Psychobiotics, called Bifidobacterium Longum, in particular, has a positive effect on both the brain and gut by helping to reduce the inflammatory processes in the brain and gut.
This Psychobiotic helps to remove inflammation from the gut and brain. It may, also, influence the body’s response to stress and anxiety by helping to regulate the production of stress hormones such as cortisol. Once levels of inflammation fall, the brain and gut are able to function more normally allowing the transport of serotonin and dopamine to occur more efficiently through the immune system and neurotransmitters. This allows the brain to help remove unwanted symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other symptoms related to mental health such as lack of sleep, poor memory, and poor concentration.
When choosing a Psychobiotic, it’s important to choose one that contains the most beneficial blend of strains. These are generally strains containing Lactobacillus and/or Bifidobacterium.
It’s also important to choose a supplement that has been tested for purity and quality. Some of these supplements come in powdered form which means that they can be sprinkled easily onto foods such as soups, smoothies, or cereals. Powdered supplements are often the best way to take psychobiotics as they are colonized more easily in the gut when consumed.
However, it’s not just Psychobiotics that help to improve mental health. The diet also plays a large part in keeping our gut and brain healthy.
Eating foods that contain Psychobiotics could also help to improve gut-brain health. These foods contain probiotics which can help to improve digestion, improve immunity, and decrease the risk of diseases such as Lupus, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and mental health illness.
In 2019, a research study showed that high numbers of people who ate probiotic foods had overall lower rates of anxiety and depression.
Types of foods that contain probiotics include fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, kimchi, and pickled vegetables. They work by improving the levels of good microbes in the gut which, in turn, help to improve immunity, digestion, and a reduction in disease processes. By reducing inflammation, they also help to influence the body’s response to stress by regulating the production of stress hormones. This can be particularly helpful for people who may be suffering from anxiety or other stress-related symptoms helping to reduce the risk of severe mental health problems which can often be associated with inflammation.
In addition to the above foods, it can also be very beneficial to add flax seeds and chia seeds to the diet as they are also known to reduce inflammation in the gut. They are full of Omega 3 which is crucial to helping to fight inflammation in the gut.
As with Psychobiotics, these can be sprinkled on foods such as smoothies, cereals, stews, or, in fact, any other foods.
What do I gain from a better-balanced microbiome?
When the gut is healthy and inflammatory levels are low, certain types of bacteria in the gut will help to create healthy cells which turn off the inflammatory T cells that are responsible for inflammation and disease. The immune system stops attacking itself and the microbiome becomes more balanced which allows the gut to heal and function more effectively by reversing the negative effect of antibodies.
Once inflammation is under control, the body can repair itself more easily. Not only can stress and anxiety be improved but other inflammatory and auto-immune conditions such as Irritable Bowel Disease, arthritis, and rheumatism can be contained.
Eating the right foods is key to a healthy gut and brain. When the body has the right nutrients to keep healthy the immune system will work effectively. Disease processes will be reduced, symptoms such as brain fog and poor concentration will be removed, sleep will improve and energy levels will increase.
However, a word of caution.
It is advisable to speak to a health expert if you plan to take Psychobiotics. There is no regulation of these supplements so it is possible, as with all foods and supplements, that they could potentially pose an allergy risk or could interfere with current prescribed medications.
While there is a lot of evidence demonstrating their effectiveness it may also be necessary to have additional treatments from a qualified doctor. So always make sure you speak with your doctor before taking Psychobiotics if you are already taking prescribed medications.
Is there anything else I can do?
Other factors that may impinge on poor mental health can include environmental triggers. These can be associated with illnesses caused by pandemics, smoking, food poisoning, viruses, and diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and other travel-related diseases.
These factors can often be exacerbated through issues such as poor diet, nutrition, and stress.
Stress itself, as already mentioned, can cause inflammation by increasing inflammatory markers in the bloodstream. People with high levels of stress can end up being at high risk of developing autoimmune diseases. Without good nutrition, the body is unable to repair cells that have been damaged as the immune system is unable to fight inflammation and infection efficiently.
Apart from eating a healthy diet and taking Psychobiotics, there are also other small steps that can be taken to help maintain good health. These include at least 6 hours of unbroken sleep each night, getting at least 10 minutes of meaningful physical activity daily, ensuring that work is not taking over life, communication with friends and family on a daily basis, taking holidays or breaks away from work, having a hobby that is enjoyable and employing relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep breathing exercises.
One of the best therapies for helping to reduce the chances of developing inflammation in the body is laughter. It decreases stress hormones and helps to increase the number of immune cells in the body as it swaps the cortisol produced during stressful incidents and replaces it with the production of endorphins and dopamine. It helps to decrease the heart rate and blood pressure and relax muscles. This all helps to create a feeling of happiness and relaxation which helps to improve the immune system which helps to improve signals between the brain and gut to improve mood and remove feelings of anxiety and depression.
Ways to increase laughter can be to watch comedies, talk with friends and family, listen to comedians or tell funny stories.
Another way to relax is to practice deep breathing exercises. Doing box breathing is a great way to learn to relax. You breathe in through the mouth for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, then breathe out through your mouth slowly for 4 seconds and hold your breath again for 4 seconds. If you do this for about 12 minutes daily and continue this regime for about 12 weeks it helps to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for calming the nervous system. It also helps to lower blood pressure and reduces the level of stress hormones in the body. The lungs receive higher levels of oxygen which, in turn, helps the brain to increase levels of oxygen.
It’s a great way to distract your mind from the day-to-day stresses and in the long term, it allows the immune system to improve and inflammation in the gut and brain to be reduced.
So incorporating a healthy diet, taking Psychobiotics, having a good night’s sleep, meaningful exercise, deep breathing, laughter, and having a supportive family and friends can help to keep inflammation and infection away from the brain and body. If you can learn to implement all these strategies life will be an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. Enjoy!!
Charlotte Cheetham
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