Why Are Psychobiotics Good For The Mind?

The fact that bacteria can have all sorts of beneficial effects on our health is part of the general knowledge. This is no surprise. It is estimated that approximately 48 million such microorganisms live in our bodies. They play a profound role in a wide variety of different physical processes, such as digestion. But did you know that a bacterium called a psychobiotic can cause significant changes in mood?

Recent studies seem to show that our normal flora affects how our brains function. For this reason, talk of these psychobiotics has increased recently, as they are substances that promote the growth of a bacterium that is pleasing to us. In this article, we are going to tell you about the latest findings on this topic.

The discovery of psychobiotics

The empirical evidence for this idea that a bacterium in our body can have a positive effect on our brains is fairly new. This term was first used in 2013 by Ted Dinan, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Cork. Numerous studies by him have shown that  fermented milk can change the behavior of animals. 

These studies showed that eating yogurt was able to alter the function of certain parts of the brain that are associated with emotional control. These studies opened the door to new studies on this connection between the gut and the mind.

One of these findings was related to certain types of intestinal bacteria, such as  Lactobacillus. This bacterium is present in dairy products and is able to modulate the production of some neurotransmitters. Some of these, such as serotonin and GABA, have a direct connection to our mood. In addition, they also address mental disorders such as depression or anxiety.

Based on all this information,  researchers have begun to find out what types of bacteria have a more positive effect on our brains. In addition, they have also tried to find out which probiotics we should enjoy the most. All of this is for the best benefit of our brains.

What are the most effective psychobiotics?

There are hundreds of different substances we can consume to improve our normal flora. However, studies have shown that not  all substances are as effective as psychobiotics. Some of them have been proven to be more effective in developing our brain function as well as our mood.

The psychobiotics that help our mind the most are:

• Kefir
• Banana and apple
• Fermented foods

Let’s look at each of these separately.

1. Kefir

Despite the fact that kefir is a fairly unknown food, this psychobiotic has begun to gain popularity in recent years. It is a yogurt-type drink of Bulgarian origin,  produced with the help of bacteria and yeasts that are really beneficial to our health.

The main difference between this dairy product and other common dairy products is that the components of this dairy product contain a bacterium known as  Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens. Its most positive effects are the addition of serotonin and tryptophan, two of the neurotransmitters that have the greatest impact on our emotional well-being.

2. Bananas and apples

We all already know the beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables on our health. But recently, a microbiology team at Yale University had found another benefit of this type of food. They realized that certain  vegetables and fruits can improve the health of bacteria that are essential to our emotional well-being.

Two of these most useful fruits are banana and apple. It has been found that ingestion of these two can improve lactic acid bacterial levels, which until now we thought were found only in milk. Again, these microorganisms play a fundamental role in the release of certain neurotransmitters that fight anxiety and depression.

3. Fermented foods

Finally, one of the most classic cures for digestive problems is fermented foods. Although they may not be very common in us, in some countries, consuming sauerkraut, kombuza or vinegar are common measures to improve the health of the bacterial population.

Recently, it has also been realized that these foods can play a really important role in our mood. Through a variety of activities, such as nutrient absorption and serotonin release, these probiotics can be one of our greatest allies as we work to improve our well-being.

Although we usually see body and mind as separate elements, they are actually very closely related to each other. Eating food with probiotic properties is one of the best ways to achieve a more positive mood and speed up our brain function.