The Food and Mood Centre (Deakin University, Australia) is conducting research into ‘psychobiotics’. The researchers say:
“The term ‘psychobiotics’ has recently been coined to refer to treatments for mental and neurological conditions that act via the gut microbiome. Specifically, these could be probiotics, prebiotics, a combination of the two (synbiotics) or other food/supplements that impact on the gut and the brain.
While psychobiotics show great promise for the future of mental health treatment, most of the studies are still in animals. Before being able to recommend psychobiotics in humans, gold-standard randomised controlled trials, such as Gut Feelings, are needed …”
You can find out more from here.
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Editor’s notes:
Probiotics are live microorganisms intended to provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora.
Prebiotics are compounds in food (typically nondigestible fibre compounds that pass undigested through the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract) that induce the growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.
