If you’re someone who struggles with anxiety, you’re not alone. Anxiety is one of the most common mental disorders, affecting around 20% of adults each year with women being 1.5 times more likely to experience it than men.
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Encouraging research into probiotics has shown a strong link between the gut and brain. We’re going to explore how probiotics can help with mood regulation, ease anxiety and prevent further mental disorders from developing in the future. We’ll also analyse some of the best probiotics for anxiety that target both mood and brain health.
Are probiotics right for me?
Probiotics are not meant to be used as a substitute for any kind of medication that’s been prescribed for mental health by a doctor. However, they can be used in conjunction with these medicines and if your anxiety or mood issues are mild then a probiotic supplement may be your ticket to better mental health.
There are a few people that shouldn’t be consuming probiotics:
- Anyone with a compromised immune system
- Anyone who’s undergone surgery recently
- People who are critically ill
In healthy individuals, probiotics are considered safe and aren’t known to have any adverse side effects. The reason being, we already have trillions of healthy bacteria in our gut so our bodies are accustomed to probiotics.
You may experience bloating, gas or an upset tummy during the first couple of weeks of use. These should subside but if they don’t or are anything more than slightly uncomfortable then you should cease use and have a chat to your doctor about it.
Gut-brain axis
When it comes to linking mental health and gut health, you have to look at the “gut-brain axis”. Basically, a healthy gut microbiome means that it will be able to utilise immune molecules, nerve signals and gut cells to communicate and respond to negative changes in the brain faster than most other organs can react to each other.
If you’ve ever had butterflies before a first date, or needed to go to the bathroom badly when you’re nervous then you know how much your brain can affect your gut (and how quickly).
This exact link works just as effectively in reverse. Not surprisingly, anxiety and depression seem to be more prevalent in those with gastrointestinal disorders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Related: The top probiotic supplements for IBS
It has become increasingly clear that when these mental disorders are treated effectively, gastrointestinal disorders improve as well and vice versa, demonstrating the strong link between the gut and the brain.
More research needs to be done on the “gut-brain axis”, but promising studies have shown that your gut is able to quickly respond to any kind of inflammation, infection or general negative changes in the brain.
This reduces the amount of time your brain is going to be affected by said inflammation or infection and therefore reduces the possible damage both now and in the future.
Taking probiotics can help with a number of cognitive and mood issues:
- Brain fog/focus
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Memory function
- Depression
- Mood
Reducing inflammation
Probiotics are well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties, it’s what makes them so great at regulating around 70% of immune response in the body. In the same way, probiotics in the gut are able to quickly respond when inflammation in the brain begins to reduce the amount of time that excess inflammation is present.
Whilst inflammation is a crucial part of the healing process (allowing the body to hone in on and rid the body of whatever is attacking it), too much inflammation can cause serious problems over time. Inflammation is actually the main underlying cause of degenerative brain conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis.
The most worrying factor of inflammation in the brain is that it generally goes unnoticed because the brain doesn’t have any pain receptors. It only becomes obvious that something is wrong when cognitive and mental issues start showing themselves.
Probiotics minimize the risk of this happening by not only reducing inflammation to assist with future brain health, but doing so in the present as well. Stress, anxiety and brain fog are just some of the symptoms and problems that good gut health will be able to help alleviate but the long-term effects are just as important.
Psychobiotics
This term refers to probiotic strains that have been known to specifically help with anxiety, stress and all of the other brain-related issues we’ve mentioned in this article. When choosing a probiotic supplement, be sure to look out for these strains:
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Bifidobacterium breve
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus helveticus
- Lactobacillus reuteri
- Lactobacillus casei
- Lactobacillus fermentum
- Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS)
That last strain looks a bit different because it’s actually a prebiotic. Prebiotics are tiny, indigestible fibres that supply probiotics with a food source so they can thrive and function optimally. This particular prebiotic is known to combat the secretion of cortisol – your body’s main stress hormone.
5 best probiotics for anxiety and mood
Now that you know exactly how your gut microbiome can affect your mental health in both the short and long term, we’ve rounded up a few of the best probiotic supplements on the market right now that assist with mood and anxiety.
#1 Garden of Life – Dr. Formulated Probiotics Mood+
Important strains
Apart from having 50 billion colony forming units (CFU) guaranteed at the time of you consuming them and 16 different probiotic strains to assist with immune and digestion, this supplement includes both L. helveticus and B. longum which we mentioned above as two of the specific strains that are known to help alleviate anxiety.
Added goodies
There’s also 350 mg of organic ashwagandha and Alaskan blueberries to assist even further with supporting mood, reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Ashwagandha is a medicinal herb that’s been used for over 3,000 years to relieve stress, increase energy and assist with better concentration by reducing cortisol levels. And then you’ve got your Alaskan blueberries which far outshine ordinary blueberries with their high antioxidant levels, they’re said to improve cognitive function and inflammation.
What are the reviews saying?
This product has just over 400 reviews on Amazon with a 4/5 star average, so it goes without saying that there are a lot of satisfied customers trying this probiotic. Reviewers report that they’ve noticed differences in their mood, depression, anxiety and even their focus is better. However, these improvements may not start showing themselves until after the first week of consistent use. Some reviews do mention that they receive a damaged product (capsules have broken) or the bottles have arrived missing a capsule or two – this suggests there may be some quality control and packing issues within the company.
Price: (60 capsules) on Amazon
PRO’S
PRO’S- 50 billion CFU
- 16 strains (2 targeted strains)
- No need for refrigeration
- Organic ashwagandha and Alaskan blueberries
- Contains prebiotic
CON’S
CON’S- 2 capsules a day
#2 Lifted Naturals Mood Boosting Probiotic
Targeted “feel good” strains and prebiotic
This probiotic supplement is solely focused on boosting your mood with strains that have been shown to do so. Additionally though, this probiotic has the prebiotic GOS added which is the only prebiotic that has been studied and proven to help with anxiety! So not only will your probiotics be nourished with the GOS fibres but all 9 strains will also be targeting your mental, immune and digestive health.
One capsule daily
This is a great feature for any probiotic supplement. One capsule contains 30 billion CFU so the recommended service size is one capsule daily – making it easier on those who don’t like swallowing too many tablets a day. You can increase this to 2 capsules a day if you’d like to. They’ve also kept it simple with no fillers in the capsules, just probiotics and prebiotics contained in a vegetable cellulose casing.
What are the reviews saying?
With a 4.5/5 star rating on Amazon from over 200 customers, the main points mentioned are that this product not only supports their mental health but they feel their overall health is greatly improved as well. Users notice that going through stressful situations, like busy family holidays, does not affect them as much as it had previously, with anxiety and mood “lifted”. A few of the reviews do mention their digestion being upset by this product so it may be a small intolerance to GOS, something to keep in mind if you’d like to try it out.
Price: (60 capsules) on Amazon
PRO’S
- 30 billion CFU
- 9 strains (2 targeted strains)
- No need for refrigeration
- Prebiotic GOS
- 1 capsule a day
CON’S
- Less CFU than other brands
#3 InnovixLabs Mood Probiotic
Nice and simple
This product from InnovixLabs has created a mood supporting probiotic that contains only 2 strains – Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum. Both of these strains are backed with clinical studies to prove their effectiveness on mood and anxiety.
Refrigeration required?
Whilst this product doesn’t have to be refrigerated, the box clearly says that storing it in the fridge may help to maintain the CFU count. Unfortunately, this product only guarantees that 3 billion CFU will be viable at the time of expiration, even with refrigeration. Whilst probiotics definitely will die off over time or if they’re exposed to heat, many brands have technology that guarantees the full amount of CFU will be viable up until the expiry date. Keep this in mind if you’re going to be buying in bulk or taking them slowly.
Price: (60 capsules) on Amazon
PRO’S
- 15 billion CFU
- 2 targeted strains
- No need for refrigeration
- 1 capsule a day
CON’S
- No prebiotic
- Only 3 billion CFU guaranteed at expiry
- Less CFU than other brands
#4 Renew Life Adult Probiotic
Everyday stress
This probiotic from the well-known Renew Life brand has been formulated with busy adults in mind to help them handle their everyday stress better. Just like the product above, it only contains Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum.
The CFU count is slightly lower on this product at 3 billion CFU, so you may want to take another probiotic supplement with this one if you’re looking for a daily probiotic that also caters for your digestive and immune health needs. The low CFU count may have been designed to simply assist with everyday stress but not extend its reach past that – making it a great, mild, targeted supplement to add to your daily routine.
Price: (30 capsules) on Amazon
PRO’S
- 3 billion CFU
- 2 targeted strains
- No need for refrigeration
- 1 capsule a day
CON’S
- No prebiotic
- Less CFU than other brands
#5 1MD Complete Probiotics Platinum
Not targeted at mood support
Whilst this supplement from 1MD isn’t targeted towards mental health, it is one of the best probiotic products on the market right now. It’s got 51 billion CFU and 11 strains per capsule with a prebiotic fiber to boost the healthy bacteria’s performance.
It does contain Bifidobacterium longum and enough other strains and CFU that you’re most likely going to see a significant health improvement for your gut which will inevitably lead to better mental health due. So if you’re wanting something that’s more of an overall, everyday probiotic that covers every base (including mental health), this might be the product for you.
A bit more expensive
Due to its high quality and high potency, this product tends to be priced a bit higher than most other products in the same market. However, many users have commented that the cost is worth the price and they’re seeing benefits that they don’t see with other brands. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide how much you spend on your health. If you have a bit of a bigger budget then this product is a great one to consider.
You can read our detailed review of Complete Probiotics Platinum here.
Lowest Price: (30 capsules) on 1MD.org
PRO’S
- 51 billion CFU
- 11 strains
- 1 capsule a day
- Contains prebiotic
CON’S
- Not targeted towards anxiety and mood
- Expensive
Conclusion
Probiotics have been directly linked through the gut-brain axis to significantly improve mental health in the present and safeguard it for the future. A healthy gut microbiome is able to respond to any inflammation or negative change in the brain quicker than other organs and assist the body in fighting off anything this vital organ.
If you’re looking for support for mood, anxiety or depression then a targeted mood probiotic is a great option. A natural solution that can heal you from the inside out!
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