There is an obvious connection between the way your stomach feels and the way your brain reacts.  Now researchers are finding that because Probiotics are so good for your stomach health, they may even help reduce the stress, anxiety, and depression signals that the brain receives from the stomach. 

Past research has suggested a link between Probiotics and brain activity but was performed on mice.  That study that found that mice that were fed a probiotic bacteria that is often found in yogurt and probiotic supplements showed a significant reduction and behaviors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.

This new study focused on 45 women between the ages of 18 and 50 with no history of illness.  After a month, researchers showed the participants images to revoke an emotional response.  The group that had consumed at least 2 cups of yogurt per day showed a decreased response in brain areas involved in processing and sensation while the group that didn’t eat any yogurt showed more activity.

These results are preliminary and researchers continue to try to determine whether consuming Probiotics regularly can affect the way that we respond to stress and other negative emotions.  Also, researchers only focused on brain activity involving stress, anxiety, and depression which means we may find other links to other types of brain activity in the future.

The study was funded by the makers of Dannon yogurt, so there is an obvious yogurt bias in the study’s findings.  What we have seen is that many yogurts promise significant probiotic effects but only contain one strain probiotic bacteria.  Since much research remains to be done on the effects of different probiotic bacteria, doctors recommend supplementing your diet with probiotic capsules that contain more than one strain as most yogurts do.  Even adding a prebiotic is a good idea.  Probiotics are beneficial bacteria and prebiotics help  them grow and flourish.