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. 2021 Nov 25;16(1):21-27.
doi: 10.1177/15598276211049178. eCollection 2022 Jan-Feb.

Probiotics for Mental Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Trials

Monica Kazlausky Esquivel  1
Affiliations

Probiotics for Mental Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Trials

Monica Kazlausky Esquivel. Am J Lifestyle Med. .

Abstract

The digestive system is involved in providing both regulatory and biochemical signaling to the nervous system via the gut-brain axis. Major brain neurotransmitters within the enteric nervous system include acetylcholine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which are triggered by various stimuli within the digestive system, including the microbiota. Associations between the gut microbiome and activation of neuroreceptors and neurotransmitters are related to factors such as appetite control, mood, and memory. This column presents the results of a brief review of recently published clinical trials related to gut microbiome interventions (n = 11) that aimed to address a variety of mental health outcomes. The impacts of probiotics on mental health and other clinical outcomes vary by the health of study participants. Continuing research on the mental health benefits of probiotics in healthy individuals is necessary.

Keywords: gut health; mental health; probiotics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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