Probiotic in yogurt reverses depression in mice, UVA finds
Like 2 Dislike 0 Published on 10 Feb 2017
Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have reversed depression symptoms in mice by feeding them Lactobacillus, a probiotic bacteria found in some yogurts. Further, the researchers have determined exactly how the bacteria affect mood, providing a concrete link between the health of the gut microbiome and mental health.
Based on their findings, they suspect their discovery will hold true in people and are planning to confirm theirs findings in depressed patients.
“The big hope of this kind of research is that we won’t need to bother with complex drugs and side effects when we can just play with the microbiome,” explained researcher Alban Gaultier, PhD. “It would be magical just to change your diet, to change the bacteria you take, to fix your health – and your mood.”