Probiotics fight depression: Healthy gut bacteria found to reduce symptoms

Taking probiotics to improve intestinal health may come with a bonus, as a new animal study revealed that the beneficial gut bacteria may also reduce depressive tendencies. A team of researchers at the Aarhus University in Denmark examined the effects of lactic acid bacteria in rat models as part of the study. The rats were divided into four groups that received either an extra fatty and fiberless diet alone or an unhealthy diet with probiotics-enhanced water.

The findings revealed that rats given probiotics exhibited neutral behavior after a swimming test despite their unhealthy diet. In contrast, rats that were not given the probiotics drink appeared more depressed following the test. The researchers also observed a significant increase in white blood cells in the brain tissues of untreated rats, which may indicate the onset of chronic inflammation.