Taking this supplement can reduce your bad moods in only two weeks

The road to a better mood might run through your stomach. 

Dutch researchers found that a popular gut-boosting supplement helped healthy adults feel less anxious, stressed and fatigued in a matter of weeks. 

An added perk: While it dialed down the doom and gloom, the new study showed that the daily dose didn’t compromise users’ happy highs, sidestepping the emotional flatlining often caused by antidepressants.

Boost your gut, benefit your mind

For the study, researchers at Leiden University brought in 88 participants with no history of mental health troubles.

They split them into two groups — one got a daily probiotic for a month, the other, a placebo.

Participants were asked to complete psychological questionnaires at the start and end of the study, along with daily mood reports and computer tasks designed to measure how they process emotions.

The results were clear: Participants taking probiotics saw a steady decline in negative feelings compared to those on a placebo, with no dip in their positive mood.

The researchers also examined whether certain traits made people more likely to benefit from the mood-boosting effects of probiotics.

“We found that various traits, most notably a propensity for risk avoidance, were associated with a greater effect of probiotics on mood,” said study co-author Dr. Katerina Johnson.

Notably, it took just two weeks on the probiotics for participants to report improvements in their mood — about the same time it takes for antidepressants to kick in.

“It may be a sign that both antidepressants and probiotics can affect our mood through shared pathways,” Johnson told Medical News Today. 

“In fact, we know that both can signal to the brain via the vagus nerve — the main nerve connecting the gut and brain — and also that they both have anti-inflammatory effects,” she added. 

However, the researchers stressed that probiotics shouldn’t be considered a substitute for antidepressants and other psychiatric medication.

The power of probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that can do wonders for your health. You’ll find them not only in dietary supplements but also in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles and yogurt, plus drinks like kombucha.

The friendly microorganisms are known for their ability to boost the “good” bacteria in your gut microbiome and clear out the harmful ones.

If this delicate balance is thrown off, it can trigger inflammation in the digestive system and throughout the body. Several studies have found that gut inflammation can mess with mood and mental health.

“Perhaps in the future probiotics could be used in a targeted way as an early intervention to reduce the chances of negative feelings progressing to mental health conditions such as depression, though more research would be needed to confirm that,” said study co-author Laura Steenbergen.

Probiotics not only lift mood and balance the gut — they also improve digestion, reducing bloating and easing uncomfortable symptoms like diarrhea and stomach cramps.

Some studies suggest they can even help treat gut issues like IBS, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

But wait, there’s more: probiotics have also been shown to boost the immune system, improve skin health, prevent heart disease and even aid weight management.