These probiotics work successfully against stress

A study shows the positive effect of probiotics on stress

Probiotics are associated with a variety of health benefits, from digestion to relief of hypertension. In a recent study, a positive effect of probiotic Bifidobacterium longum (B. longum 1714TM) on the treatment of stress has now been demonstrated.

A research team from Tübingen University Hospital has studied the effect of probiotic Bifidobacterium longum (B. longum 1714TM) on the treatment of stress, thus confirming the results of previous studies on animals. Their findings were published in the journal "The American Journal of Gastroenterology".

Previous study notes

Previous studies have already shown that "probiotics can both improve stress management and help healthy people manage it," said the team of researchers led by professors Paul Enck (psychosomatic) and Christoph Braun (MEG center) a press release from the Tübingen University Hospital.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are living bacteria whose ingestion is considered beneficial to health. These are made by the beneficial bacteria "support with other bacteria in the human body, especially in intestinal bacteria, among other things, digestive measures and vitamins," explain the researchers. There are many different probiotics to which various effects are attributed, but these are often not sufficiently scientifically proven.

Observation stress test

In this study, researchers looked at the probiotic B. longum 1714TM, supplied by Alimentaire Health Ltd. Cork, Ireland has been developed and made available. A total of 40 healthy volunteers received daily probiotics or placebo for a period of four weeks as part of a double-blind trial. The stress management of the participants was examined before and after the four weeks of absorption. To this end, the subjects were exposed to a social stress agent, "who was created using a virtual computer-based ball game, in which the subject with two opponents threw a ball in alternation, "explain the researchers.

Measured brain activity

The level of stress increased as the game progressed as participants were increasingly excluded from the group to create a feeling of isolation, which in this case resembled daily stress. During the test, brain activity in the magnetoencephalograph (MEG) was examined. Thus, brain activation was compared before and after four weeks of ingestion, as well as between volunteers who received a probiotic or placebo.

Increased vitality and reduced mental fatigue

The evaluation of the test results clearly showed that the probiotic can produce changes in the brain regions associated with stress regulation, the researchers reported. Compared to brain activity after taking a placebo, "pre-match activity and stress stress increased vitality and reduced mental fatigue." This is an indication of "improving the management of stressful situations and the regulation of negative emotions".

Basis of objective evaluation

For the first time, the published study results now show that "probiotics exert a positive influence on social stress situations in terms of stress management by modifying the central processing of stress stimuli," reports L & # s 39, research team. However, this statement only applies to the probiotic studied and can not be applied to all probiotics. Unlike previous studies, which relied primarily on subjective assessments or psychological tests, the current study provides a basis for objective evaluation based on brain activity. (Fp)