By Leah Harris
Feeling anxious? A new study in EMBO Molecular Medicine found that the introduction of probiotics, live microorganisms known as “good bacteria,” might be a salve for anxiety. Talk about going with your gut!
Scientists have long-explored what is known as the “gut-brain axis”—a bidirectional communication network between the nerves in our digestive system, also known as the enteric nervous system, and the central nervous system, which includes our brain. In fact, the gut is often referred to as the “second brain.” Humans express an awareness of this gut-brain connection in everyday language—for example, when we talk about “going with our gut instinct.”
Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School studied mice that were born and raised without any live microbes in their bodies. They found that these mice, kept in a sterile environment, were more anxious than those who had been exposed to live microbes. When they looked at the brains of these anxious mice, they found that a specific region of the brain called the amygdala, was overactive. But when the researchers introduced live microbes into their bodies, they became less anxious. They also found that indoles, a specific chemical produced by these microbes, had a calming effect on the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for initiating what’s known as the “fight or flight” response to stress.
The study’s findings corroborate the existing body of research showing that the microbes in our gut produce chemicals that influence our brain and behavior, including our anxiety level. Researchers think that this gut-brain connection may be an ancient mechanism preserved throughout human evolution to help animals respond to threats or dangers.
This research indicates that indoles could be used to develop new treatments for anxiety and other related conditions, such as sleep problems or physical illnesses that are affected by stress. The study suggests that eating indole-rich foods, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, and collard greens, or taking supplements containing indole-producing bacteria, could be key to soothing anxiety.
According to the Duke-NUS researchers, this approach also might be safer and more effective than current treatments for anxiety, such as benzodiazepines and SSRI antidepressants, which can be habit-forming and have many side effects. “Because of these drawbacks, it’s important to explore safer, more effective alternatives to treat anxiety that are backed by solid scientific evidence to improve patient outcomes and reduce the risk of long-term side effects,” H. Shawn Le, PhD, one of the study’s authors, told Medical News Today.
This study underscores the critical connection between the microbes in our gut and how we think and feel. While much more research remains to be done, the study indicates that we should look to our gut and explore the role of microbes as a low-risk, accessible source of support for people who live with anxiety. In today’s world, this research is right on time!
Resources for further exploration:
- Gut microbes’ surprising connection to anxiety point toward a potential probiotic solution (Medical XPress)
- Understanding How the Gut Microbiome & Anxiety are Linked (LabRoots)
- Scientists Discover Gut Microbes’ Role in Anxiety (Inside Precision Medicine)
- Could probiotics help reduce anxiety? (Medical News Today)
- The Brain-Gut Connection (Hopkins Medicine)
Leah Harris is a non-binary, queer, neurodivergent, disabled Jewish writer, facilitator, and organizer working in the service of truth-telling, justice-doing, and liberation. They’ve had work published in the New York Times, CNN, and Pacific Standard. You can learn more about their work at their website and follow them on Instagram.