reduce anxiety by acting on the microbiota

The stress and some pathologies Psychiatric causes anxiety for many of us. Now, the intestinal microbiota influence the functioning of the brain by what is often called the "intestine-brain axis". This is why we can ask ourselves whether probioticswho are "good" bacteria acting on our microbiota, could help reduce anxiety.

To answer this question, researchers from Jiao-tong University in Shanghai reviewed 21 studies of about 1,500 people. Fourteen studies evaluated the effect of probiotics Seven studies tested a single probiotic strain, two studies involved two strains and five studies at least three strains. The remaining seven out of 21 studies concerned other interventions such as a regime that could affect intestinal florafor example a diet low in FODMAP ( carbohydrates fermentable).

Probiotics alone less effective than dietary interventions

According to the results published in the journal General Psychiatry11 out of 21 studies, just over half (52%) found that the microbiota intervention relieved anxiety. Of the 14 studies that used probiotics, only about one third (36%) found efficacy, while six of the seven studies that used other interventions were effective. In fact, probiotics seemed more beneficial if they were badociated with other types of interventions.

A change in diet would therefore have a greater impact on the microbiota than taking a probiotic supplement. "We find that more than half of the included studies have shown that it is positive to treat symptoms ofanxiety by regulating the intestinal microbiota ", concluded the authors.