Brain & Mental Health

How Probiotics Can Help You Fight Depression?

This is an established fact that more than 300 million people around the world are suffering from depression. In our fast-paced world, depression is a common disorder.

Many individuals also develop suicidal tendencies. Depression can lead to a dysfunctional lifestyle and also bring permanent changes to a person’s day-to-day activities like a loss in energy, unwillingness to intake food, loss of sleep, etc. are some symptoms of depression.

All these have a drastic effect on the normal schedule of a person. There are different kinds of remedies that can help you get rid of depression. However, many of these can also inflict different kinds of side effects as well.

Recently, scientists have found that probiotics for depression are a brilliant remedy to get rid of it. Probiotics are live bacteria or yeasts which are good for the human body.

After extensive research, it is seen that they do have a significant role to play in curbing depression. Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute found in clinical trials that adults who consumed probiotics have less chance of getting diagnosed with depression.

So, how are these probiotics helping people to combat depression? Let us have a look at it in this article.

  • The number of probiotics in a healthy body is much more than the number of cells. Probiotics are in numbers of 100-300 trillion. Whereas, there are around 10-15 trillion cells in the body.
  • The demand for probiotics is huge around the globe. Probiotics manufacturing is an industry which is worth more than $30 billion.
  • Colon has the largest number of probiotics in the human body. However, they are also present in every corner of the body.

Foods Those Are High in Probiotics

If you want to consume Probiotics for depression, then you will need to eat a certain food. These items are high in probiotics and will surely help to enjoy the benefits.

1. Yoghurt

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One of the biggest source of probiotics in the human body. It helps to promote friendly bacteria that will improve your health. Among these, bifid bacteria and lactic acid bacteria are the most common ones. It can also provide a soothing effect to your mind which provides a better way to relax. The probiotics from yoghurt are the best way to get rid of depression over the course of time.

[Also Read: Health Benefits of Yogurt ]

2. Kefir

Kefir is another brilliant source of probiotics. Kefir is a fermented drink which is made by adding kefir grains to raw milk. The milk can be of a goat or a cow. These grains are not whole or cereal grains but they are cultures of lactic bacteria. Kefir provides a refreshing feel and helps a person to enjoy a soothing effect.

3. Tempeh

Tempeh is an Indonesian product which is derived by fermenting soybean. Tempeh looks like a firm patty which has a flavour similar to a mushroom. It is a brilliant option for those who are vegetarian. The probiotics in tempeh come from phytic acid which promotes the absorption of zinc and iron.

4. Kvass

An Eastern European preparation, Kvass is an ingredient that can inject a significant amount of probiotics. Since ancient times, people are drinking kvass. It is made by fermenting rye or barley. Kvass contains the Lactobacilli probiotics which help to cleanse the blood and organs. It helps to strengthen the immune system and has a mildly bitter taste.

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So here are some of the best foods that will provide you with probiotics for depression. These items are available in the market easily or you can even make them at home.

[Also Read: Common Supplements to Treat Depression]

 

What Is the Right Dosage of Probiotics?

Probiotics can surely help you get rid of depression by pumping more energy and allowing the organs to perform better. But you must also remember that too much of anything is never good. So you need to take a regulated amount of probiotics on a regular basis.

Probiotics with 1-2 million CFU is good for curbing depression. But if a person is in prescribed antibiotics, then a probiotic with 10 billion CFU is required. Different brands have separate CFU levels in their medicines. Therefore you need to be very careful before consuming any tablet. It is very much possible that overdose of probiotics can damage your digestive tract. It will lead to stomach upset and pain.

Caution for Taking Probiotics

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Every individual must be cautious when taking probiotics. But this is even more true for children under 10-15 years, pregnant women and elderly people. This is because they have a weakened immune system which may not be able to handle the sudden increase in bacteria.

A comprised immune system is never good for probiotics. People, who are diagnosed with cancer or undergoing chemotherapy, should not take probiotics. It will worsen their case further. Therefore, always consult a physician or a doctor before deciding the right amount of probiotics for depression.

Probiotics for depression seems to be a brilliant solution in the coming days. Scientists are extensively studying the different benefits of probiotics and how it can influence the mind. Many people have experienced positive changes in their behaviour after consuming probiotics. On the other hand, many people have experienced nothing at all. For now, there is a mixed review of whether probiotics can really help you in fighting depression or not.

FAQs

1. Can probiotics improve your mood?

Probiotics can certainly help to improve your mood. But that is not always true in some cases as well. Many people have experienced a lift in mood whereas some have felt no changes at all.

2. Which food is the best for probiotics?

Yoghurt, Kefir, Tempeh, Kvass are some of the best food items which have probiotics.

3. How many probiotics are safe to intake?

The clinical benefits of probiotics are yet to be discovered. But in many cases, people have seen good results and positive attitude after consuming probiotics.