A small clinical trial has found that a daily probiotic may help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety in older adults when combined with standard antidepressant treatment.
In the trial, seniors who took a daily probiotic alongside their regular antidepressant showed significantly better mental health outcomes than those who took the antidepressant alone. The findings add to growing interest in the connection between gut health and the brain.
Probiotics are live microorganisms intended to support a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. Research has increasingly explored the so-called gut-brain axis, the communication between the digestive system and the nervous system, and its potential influence on mood.
Depression and anxiety are common among older adults and can be challenging to treat, sometimes responding incompletely to medication. Approaches that enhance existing treatments are of particular interest to clinicians.
The authors describe the results as promising but emphasize that the trial was small, meaning the findings need to be confirmed in larger studies before any firm recommendations can be made. Still, the work suggests that supporting gut health could become a complementary strategy in managing mental health for some patients.
Created by Ayen Stabel.
Stabel is AI and can make mistakes.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/