We now know that good bacteria or probiotics have the potential to alter brain chemistry and have an impact on anxiety and depression. You may recall my interview with Professor Ted Dinan on a prior Anxiety Summit – Microbes in the gut and psychobiotics as a potential treatment for anxiety and depression. He shared his paper and this definition of Psychobiotics: a novel class of psychotropic.
…we define a psychobiotic as a live organism that, when ingested in adequate amounts, produces a health benefit in patients suffering from psychiatric illness. As a class of probiotic, these bacteria are capable of producing and delivering neuroactive substances such as gamma-aminobutyric acid and serotonin, which act on the brain-gut axis.
Research published by Dinan, Cryan and their teams also found benefits of Lactobacillus rhamnosus on stress, anxiety and depression type behaviors in mice. This is older research (published in 2011) but it’s the first time I’ve shared it on the blog. I talk about this paper in the upcoming Microbiome Medicine 2 Summit so I like to share study excerpts and links to the study.
The write up in Science Daily is a good one – Mind-Altering Microbes: Probiotic Bacteria May Lessen Anxiety and Depression
…mice fed with Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 showed significantly fewer stress, anxiety and depression-related behaviours than those fed with just broth. Moreover, ingestion of the bacteria resulted in significantly lower levels of the stress-induced hormone, corticosterone.
The part that I find fascinating is the effects of Lactobacillus on GABA receptors in the brain (GABA is your main calming neurotransmitter):
The researchers also showed that regular feeding with the Lactobacillus strain caused changes in the expression of receptors for the neurotransmitter GABA in the mouse brain, which is the first time that it has been demonstrated that potential probiotics have a direct effect on brain chemistry in normal situations.
In this paper the authors discuss the vagus nerve and the three-way communication:
…the vagus nerve is the main relay between the microbiome (bacteria in the gut) and the brain. This three way communication system is known as the microbiome-gut-brain axis and these findings highlight the important role of bacteria in the communication between the gut and the brain, and suggest that certain probiotic organisms may prove to be useful adjunct therapies in stress-related psychiatric disorders.
What is even more fascinating is this:
the neurochemical and behavioral effects were not found in vagotomized mice
What does this mean? When the researchers severed the vagus nerve in the test mice – removing the communication between the gut and the brain – they found that the behaviors and stress hormone levels reverted back to the way they had been i.e. the vagotomized mice were more anxious, more stressed, more depressed and had higher corticosterone levels.
You can find the abstract of the paper here: Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve.
What does this mean for you? It means that good bacteria in your diet could well improve your anxiety and depression symptoms and even have an impact on your adrenals and cortisol levels. This could be in the form of a good probiotic and should always include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, yogurt and kefir (if dairy is tolerated), water kefir (if dairy is not tolerated).
Have you observed an improvement in your anxiety and stress levels since adding a probiotic or fermented foods into your diet?
Hello dear Trudy,
whenever I tried probiotics from several origins it made me feel sick in the gut (where I’m anyway sensitive) So I haven’t had the opportunity to give it a long lasting chance. I read somewhere though that there is a strain of bacteria that for some people with a genetic compromise may worsen symptoms (of anxiety). Did you hear about it? I’ll try to find the information and will post it the moment I will.
Hi, Trudy, I tried introducing my children who have anxiety and multiple health challenges to fermented food by giving them a minute amount of kombucha-1 tsp for my son, 1 tsp followed by 2 the next day for my daughter and for me. My son immediately cascaded into illness for 3 weeks, my daughter and I felt ill and strange. I understand this can be an indicator of histamine issues. How can I introduce ferments and avoid all these issues?
Lori
I’m sorry to hear about this. And yes, some folks are affected by high histamine foods. This can also happen when a person has candida so addressing this first would be the best approach. Kombucha itself can be problematic for some individuals and sauerkraut may be better tolerated.
Trudy I loved your discussion on the Sweet Freedom Summit.Can you give me some advice here. I got sick with Anxiety in 2005. The doctor put me on paxil and Ativan. Now on effector and Ativan . That has been 16 years too many. I am now findind myself forgetting a lot . I think it’s first stages of Dementia. I’m a nurse for 25 yrs and constantly getting sick . Very lethargic.Im not 50 yet. I want to get off these meds. But I’m afraid my doctor will not support me and I need direction .My natural path before said she can get me off these. The aminos are what I should have had long ago.
Dear Michele, since Trudy did not answer you (forgive me Trudy!) and I am an ex Nurse, I would like to suggest you forget what you know, what the doc told you and go directly to a Naturopathic Doctor or a Functional Medicine Doctor. Much of what ails you is diet and mineral and supplement related and you, like so many, are just Big Pharma guinea pigs, take the drugs, they get loads of money and you get to be sick your entire life, instead of being CURED! Natural will always go to the cure. We have all been brainwashed to believe the opposite! Money well spent on a Naturopath and/or Functional Medicine Nutritionist/Doctor. Good luck, you can do it. Stop eating sugar too if you want to save your brain, no aluminum cooking pans and pots either, throw away the aluminum foil or anything else connected with it. Bad for the brain! All the best to you! Shawn
Michelle
I can’t consult via the blog but will share that benzo tapers can be rough. I like to see nutrition and imbalances addressed before doing any taper. Using the amino acids helps to get brain chemical levels up too. Using the amino acids is described in great detail in the amino acid chapter in my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” (here on Amazon http://amzn.to/2kptFWm). I recommend everyone read this chapter carefully BEFORE starting on any amino acids. The rest of the book helps people address many of the other root causes of anxiety.
Share the book with your doctor and if he won’t help find a new doctor who will support you. Benzobuddies.org is also great for support – be aware they say no supplements and I don’t agree with this
Can anyone recommend a probiotic with this strain? Also curious if someone with lactose is intolerance would tolerate it? Thanks!!
Hey Heidi.
I am lactose intolerant and I have no problems with the Rhamnosus probiotic.
So grateful I learnt that this would be a better strain to take.
Good morning Trudy
I have written to you before and I believe asked and signed up for your waiting list. I have been following some of your blogs and looking for things and tests I can have my doctors do since naturopath’s do no take insurance and they are pretty expensive.
Since my last writing to you I have found out that what I thought was high cortisol is actually very low cortisol. I have also developed several more health issues in addition to the major depression, high anxiety, PTSD, constant exhaustion and multiple pain issues. Unfortunately instead of being able to reduce the number of medications I take daily, they have increased to 14 currently and looking to add more with these new health conditions. I’ve tried talking to a couple of my doctors including my psychiatrist about getting off the meds and going to a more natural routine. Like I expected he was very highly against this change.
Trudy, I am at a loss for what to do and could really use some advice.
Thank you for your time and understanding
Julie Frohner
Julie
Sorry to hear what you are going through. I use testing, questionnaires and trials to help determine nutritional deficiencies and root causes. There can be many (https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/60-nutritional-biochemical-causes-of-anxiety/) and working with a functional medicine practitioner is ideal if the ND is not covered by insurance. The good news is that I will be contacting you shortly regarding one-on-one consulting and can hopefully guide you!
Hi Julie
I am reading your post can’t believe it. I could have wrote it myself everything you describe I experience to a T it’s a mystery I’m trying to solve also. Send me a reply if you get this. I hope your well
Michael
Hi Trudy, Like Julie I have been signed up with you for consults for years! You cover so many issues and have so many helps that I have not seen in anyone else. They have their specialties but you cover all of it. Let me know to if you are taking new patients. I want to jump in here! The anxiety that went away last November with the progesterone is now back. Sigh….. since 2004 this has been going on……. I think I have just about tried it all as I’m sure you remember.
anyway, thank you Trudy, I have shared with others your helps. Sometimes, I get to wondering if some people are destined to have the issues so they can help others!!!! Y a know what I mean. There are those that dig in and research and find answers to help others but not that it helps you… sigh….
Kaye
We’ll be in touch really soon! sorry to hear it’s back! And thanks for your kind words
Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 – has anyone found where to purchase – this specific strain (other strains did not get the same results)
The study was done on mice! In 2017 they did a study on humans and they find that the probiotics don’t have any effect on the anxiety and all the measures like cortisol and things like that.
You can find the study here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159116305207
Vincent
Thanks for sharing this follow-up human study. I had not yet seen this one and will take a look and comment further once get access to the full study. I wonder if they did stool testing before supplementing in order to determine if the study participants were low in this particular strain?
I am really pleased to see human studies are now being done by this team of prolific microbiome researchers.
Vincent
I just came across this research which may also factor into these results (and many rat/mice studies) https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171019143012.htm
Mice are not a good comparison always. Probiotics multiply B vitamins which may raise oxygen in the brain/body. No gluten/dairy/soy/sugar/GMO/food with a label..taking vitamins/good oils/minerals…probiotic…LDN..detoxing may help and Amour thyroid since gluten may antibodies to the thyroid. Vit B12 methylcobalamin with intrinsic factor/Hair test to see mineral levels and heavy metals. Detoxing by sweating and then taking sea salt and more help me. Low oxygen in the brain may cause depression/anxiety/no sleep/obsessing/panic/suicidal thoughts. Gluten may hurt intestines so less nutrients absorb…then cells are not made right to work right to burn oxygen.
Probiotics are good for everyone. If you have ever taken antibiotics as most people have then you need them more than you think
The standard American bag of this and box of that processed sugar filled junk diet only feeds bad bacteria causing many ailments.
A farmers diet is what my 102 year young grandmother eats along with many strains of probiotics . As well as my mother who is 74 and looks 40! They are both very active. Good genetics? Hmmm well the relitives that eat fast food and packaged standard grocery foods all have ailments. The ones eating from nature farmers diet or God’s diet don’t. Clean eating and probiotics keep people young healthy and strong there minds fully functioning even later in years. History proves it. Mice studies are great But look back to a time when we didn’t drink soda or sugar filled drinks and processed foods. Our minds funcion far better
you rarely heard of dementia or auto immune disease i
anabiotic‘s are great and can serve good purpose but they are overused and destroy our good gut bacteria in our bodies so our bodies are in a constant state of inflammation from all the toxic foods and destruction of the bacteria
our minds can’t function properly we can’t think of the things we need to in the correct way Such as. Anxiety fear forgetfulness an in organized thinking
our bodies are too busy trying to fix them selves I have no doubt there is a mind gut connection I’ve seen it and working with autistic adults
adding good quality probiotics and healthy diet changes them profusely eases their anxiety and when their anxiety is eased they think and function better and live a better quality of life As we all could.
Lolli
Thanks for contributing to the discussion – and yes to no sugar, no processed food and real whole food and probiotics and fermented foods!
can your GABA be high and give you anxiety? especially after a severe adverse reaction to a tricyclic antidepressant? .
I’ve recently had Lactobacillus rhamnosus probiotic and made me feel worse, lees sleepy at night, I have insomnia, it was supposed to help with sleep, that was what my practitioner told me, but previously to this probiotic, I tried a GABA supplement that made my hands go numb at night and makes my throat to feel tight and dry, Could it be because of high GABA?
thanks, MARIA
Maria
This type of reaction with GABA is typically when too much is used (I start low with 125mg trialed and then increased as needed based on sleep/anxiety) or it’s not needed ie GABA is not low. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is known to support GABA levels and it may have also been too much or again may not be needed.
Thank you Trudy! I admire your dedication and love your work.
Xx