Probiotics and mental health: Dahi, idli, pickle good for your mood and brain function

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Kirti Pandey

Updated Sep 17, 2021 | 23:46 IST

Who would have thought that the brain's health is directly affected by the balanced of gut microbiota? No wonder our ancestors traditionally wove in fermented foods and probiotics like dahi etc in our diet.

Gut brain connection  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• The body is like a matrix. Everything is connected. But did you know that your brain and gut have a different connection?

• There is not just you and your brain and gut but millions of microbes - the friendly microbiota from your guts that can make or break your mental health.

Harvard research shows that probiotics can do more than improve your gut health. They also may indirectly enhance your brain health and functions.

Probiotics are traditionally thought to improve digestive health, and they are often used to treat diarrhoea or bloating. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, probiotics have some basic functions we already know about: 
•    Shaping the body’s immune system
•    Producing antimicrobial substances
•    Fermenting fibre in the diet to generate nutrients for the cells that line our intestines

Patients suffering from depression experience significant mood, anxiety, and cognitive symptoms. Currently, most antidepressants work by altering neurotransmitter activity in the brain to improve these symptoms. Now research shows that the gut and brain are connected, a partnership called the gut-brain axis. Harvard says the two are linked through biochemical signalling between the nervous system in the digestive tract, called the enteric nervous system, and the central nervous system, which includes the brain.

The Vagus nerve complex:
The primary information connection between the brain and gut is the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body. 
Vagus nerve, also called X cranial nerve or 10th cranial nerve is the longest and most complex of the cranial nerves. The vagus nerve runs from the brain through the face and thorax to the abdomen. It is a mixed nerve that contains parasympathetic fibres.
The gut has been called a "second brain" because it produces many of the same neurotransmitters as the brain does, like serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid, all of which play a key role in regulating mood. In fact, it is estimated that 90 per cent of serotonin is made in the digestive tract.

Brain and gut are interconnected:
According to the Harvard report, what affects the gut often affects the brain and vice versa. When your brain senses trouble—the fight-or-flight response—it sends warning signals to the gut, which is why stressful events can cause digestive problems like a nervous or upset stomach. On the flip side, flares of gastrointestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease, or chronic constipation may trigger anxiety or depression.

The gut bacteria sent satiation signals too:
The brain-gut axis works in other ways, too. For example, just like your gut sends signals of hunger through the digestive tract’s various mechanisms that the brain reads, your gut helps regulate appetite by telling the brain when it is time to stop eating. About 20 minutes after you eat, gut microbes produce proteins that can suppress appetite, which coincides with the time it often takes people to begin feeling full. That is how when your gut flora is fine, you are less likely to overeat.

Role of probiotics in the gut-brain axis:
Scientists have been studying the gut-brain axis and the interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. They have researched how probiotics might fit in the gut-brain axis? Some research has found that probiotics may help boost mood and cognitive function and lower stress and anxiety. 

For example, a study published online on 10th November 2016, by Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that Alzheimer's patients who took milk made with four probiotic bacteria species for 12 weeks scored better on a test to measure cognitive impairment compared with those who drank regular milk.

A small 2013 study reported in the journal Gastroenterology found that women who ate yoghurt with a mix of probiotics, twice a day for four weeks, were calmer when exposed to images of angry and frightened faces compared with a control group. 

MRIs also found that the yoghurt group had lower activity in the insula, the brain area that processes internal body sensations like those emanating from the gut.

After thorough research done in Italy, doctors claim that strong evidence suggests that gut microbiota has an important role in bidirectional interactions between the gut and the nervous system. It interacts with CNS by regulating brain chemistry and influencing neuro-endocrine systems associated with stress response, anxiety and memory function. It's too early to determine the exact role probiotics play in the gut-brain axis since this research is still ongoing. Probiotics may not only support a healthier gut but a healthier brain, too.

Foods that contain probiotic factors:
Now, probiotics are not just the ‘good bacteria’ preparations sold by commercial outlets. The friendly bacteria flora is also present in other traditional Indian foods like idli, dosa, pickles, Dahi, kefir, etc.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.