Forget Prozac – Try Probiotics to Ease Anxiety, Curb Depression and Elevate Mood

[Bluelicious]

By Carolanne Wright

 

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

 

Could eating yogurt be a replacement for antidepressants? A group of scientists believe so. Groundbreaking research has shown that a common strain of probiotic can create GABA within the gut while also enhancing brain receptors for this neurotransmitter. Naturally produced GABA is a safe alternative to dangerous psychiatric drugs — it calms the nervous system, promotes tranquil sleep, minimizes anxiety and alleviates depression. This is good news for over 50 million people around the world who use antidepressants.

 

Perils of a Prozac nation

 

With a 400 percent increase of antidepressant use from 1994-2008, it looks as though the United States certainly is a Prozac Nation. An astounding one in five women between the ages of 40-59 use Prozac while nearly four percent of adolescents are on antidepressants. Second only to cholesterol drugs, prescriptions for antidepressants rose to an incredible 255 million in 2010 alone. World-wide, the sale of antidepressants totals over 20 billion dollars a year. This industry does not come without serious health risks. Side-effects of antidepressant drugs include:

 

– Sexual dysfunction

 

– Insomnia

 

– Fatigue

 

– Nausea

 

– Blurred vision

 

– Constipation

 

– Restlessness, anxiety, agitation

 

As if the above were not disheartening enough, antidepressants have been linked with increased suicide rates. There has to be a better way to foster emotional harmony.

 

The sunny side of probiotics

 

A common bacteria may hold the answer as a safe, natural and economical solution for depression along with its siblings — anxiety and insomnia. Canadian neuroscientist Jane Foster found that the microflora of the gut have a significant connection with the central nervous system. “The cross talk between the gut biome and the brain is continual. That’s the important take-home message. These are not two separate systems; they are two parts of a single system,” says Foster in the Psychology Today article “Your Back-up Brain.”

 

John Cryan of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre at University College Cork in Ireland has taken this idea further by studying how lactobacillus bacteria in the gut specifically influence the brain. Cryan discovered that lactobacillus actually alters the brain-cell receptors for GABA in a positive manner, thereby reducing anxious behavior. The bacteria not only create more GABA receptors, but also produce the neurotransmitter itself which then circulates in the blood. All of this has a profound impact on emotional balance and the nervous system. As observed by Emily Deans, MD, “GABA is a nice glass of wine in front of the fire. GABA is restful sleep. GABA is tranquility and yoga.”

 

It’s easy to cultivate a healthy dose of this calming neurotransmitter by traveling no further than the refrigerator. Simply enjoy foods like yogurt, kefir, miso, tempeh, kimchi or sauerkraut. After all, everyone could use a little GABA boost now and then.

 

Article Sources

 

“Look Around: 1 In 10 Americans Takes Antidepressants” Scott Hensley, NPR. npr.org

 

“Antidepressants: Get tips to cope with side effects” Mayo Clinic staff. mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants

 

“Your Backup Brain” Dan Hurley, Psychology Today, November 01, 2011. psychologytoday.com

 

“More than 1 in 10 Americans on Suicide-Linked Antidepressants” Anthony Gucciardi, Natural Society, October 20, 2011. naturalsociety.com/antidepressants-causing-suicide

 

“Do Probiotics Help Anxiety?” Emily Deans, M.D., Psychology Today, June 17, 2012. psychologytoday.com

 

“The Use of Anti-Depressants” Clay Tucker-Ladd, Ph.D., Psych Central. psychcentral.com/library/antidepressants

 

“Acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus)” Mayo Clinic. mayoclinic.com/health/lactobacillus/NS_patient-acidophilus

[Holac]

I read somewhere yogurt is bad for men. if you know what I mean.

[xabad]

@Holac

said:

I read somewhere yogurt is bad for men.

if you know what I mean.

 

Why ?

 

Does it increase estrogen like soy ?

[Mooge]

lol@yogur

 

canaha ciirta wax ka wanagsan maleh niyoow.

[Bluelicious]

@Holac

said:

I read somewhere yogurt is bad for men.

if you know what I mean.

 

Yogurt makes things only better. Do tell as I don't know what you meant.

[xabad]

@Bluelicious

said:

Yogurt makes things only better. Do tell as I don't know what you meant.

 

I thought you say were vegan and dairy gives you problems.

[Holac]

@Bluelicious

said:

Yogurt makes things only better.

Hmm. What do you mean

 

Yogurt makes Donald Trump's hands smaller, if you know what I mean.

[Gheelle.T]

Holac, once you're passed the adolescent age , one's manhood muscles neither grow nor shrink contrary to popular beliefs and marketing ads by the growth formula/drug sellers. Eat your yogurt and worry not about Trump getting smaller lool

[xabad]

@Gheelle.T

said:

Holac, once you're passed the adolescent age , one's manhood muscles neither grow nor shrink contrary to popular beliefs and marketing ads by the growth formula/drug sellers. Eat your yogurt and worry not about Trump getting smaller lool

 

Every other product under the sun is reputed to either increase or decrease it. Honey, yoghurt, fish etc you name it, somehow someway has an effect.

 

The obsession is just comical.

[Holac]

@Gheelle.T

said:

Eat your yogurt and worry not about Trump getting smaller lool

 

lol. The above made me chuckle. @Bluelicious is covering her face now.

[Bluelicious]

@xabad

said:

I thought you say were vegan and dairy gives you problems.

 

I am. I eat lactose free yogurt. There's lactose free dairy incase you didn't know. In your milk is wrong thread I said the following:

 

" I’m a semi-vegan who still eats chicken, fish, eggs, yoghurt, cheese and occasionally drinks milk. In the near future i’m cutting out these products and become a full vegan."

 

@Holac

said:

Hmm. What do you mean

 

Yogurt makes Donald Trump's hands smaller, if you know what I mean.

 

Holac get your mind out of the gutter lool. Yogurt improves overall health including at what you were trying to describe, that's what I meant.

 

@Gheelle.T

said:

Holac, once you're passed the adolescent age , one's manhood muscles neither grow nor shrink contrary to popular beliefs and marketing ads by the growth formula/drug sellers. Eat your yogurt and worry not about Trump getting smaller lool

 

Your comment made me laugh

[Haatu]

The UK is also currently in a massive depression epidemic. Something like 1 in 4 people experience a mental health issue every year. The amount of patients that come in for depression is very worrying, especially the increase in prevalence in the younger demographic.

[Bluelicious]

@Haatu

said:

The UK is also currently in a massive depression epidemic. Something like 1 in 4 people experience a mental health issue every year. The amount of patients that come in for depression is very worrying, especially the increase in prevalence in the younger demographic.

 

The cause of the rising depression is the modern day diet. The modern diet consists of junk food, fast food, processed foods, alot of sugar and salt etc.. and that affects your gut health. Poor gut health is linked to depression. Your gut controls your mood, brain, health everything it's your second brain.

 

 

[xabad]

@Bluelicious

said:

The cause of the rising depression is the modern day diet. The modern diet consists of junk food, fast food, processed foods, alot of sugar and salt etc.. and that affects your gut health. Poor gut health is linked to depression. Your gut controls your mood, brain, health everything it's your second brain.

 

More important than diet is the social cultural conditions, many of these depressed are minorities alienated from the majority culture and who feel lost. qurboojognimo leads to depression. Poor life prospects, the rat race and the gloomy weather all sap the soul of young people. How someone chooses that miserable filthy island over sunny africa is a mystery.

[Bluelicious]

@xabad

said:

More important than diet is the social cultural conditions, many of these depressed are minorities alienated from the majority culture and who feel lost. qurboojognimo leads to depression. Poor life prospects, the rat race and the gloomy weather all sap the soul of young people. How someone chooses that miserable filthy island over sunny africa is a mystery.

 

I disagree your comment is false.