Facts Everyone Should Know About Probiotics And Gut Health

May Reduce Severity Of Eczema

The potential link between gut bacteria and skin conditions like eczema is something scientists have only begun to study more recently. Nonetheless, the research is still promising, and several studies have provided evidence indicating certain probiotic bacteria strains may reduce the severity of eczema. In one of the very first studies to examine this link, scientists showed the strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG led to a reduction of instances of eczema in children under seven years old who were at a particularly high risk of developing the condition.

Following this, a different study showed that prenatal probiotic treatment with this same strain may be able to greatly reduce an at-risk infant's chances of developing eczema. Further studies have shown Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis may all help reduce the severity of eczema, although further study is needed to determine just how effective the treatment is and which strain works best.

May Be Beneficial To Mental Health

Just as probiotic treatments have shown great promise in helping to improve heart health, they also may be beneficial to mental health. Although this is a field of study that is only yet just emerging, the current research seems very promising in terms of there being a direct connection between gut bacteria and mental health. Gut bacteria play an important role in the release and regulation of numerous chemicals and important neurotransmitters, such as melatonin and serotonin. As a result, it makes perfect sense that probiotics may be able to improve mental health by allowing the body to better regular these essential brain chemicals.

Although the research is still in its infancy, studies have already shown taking a daily probiotic may be able to reduce symptoms in individuals suffering from mild to moderate depression or anxiety. Research also suggests probiotics may be able to help patients suffering from bipolar disorder and other mood disorders, and there are now even studies looking at how they may help to reduce autism symptoms.