Do you want to have a clear and happy mind? Probiotics can help！ (Part One)

According to a scientific briefing released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global increase in anxiety and depression rates, reaching 25%. This has directly resulted in 2023 being a year of accelerated evolution towards consumer self-care, with an increasing demand for "healing the body and mind." Data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that the average working hours for employees in China have been gradually rising, reaching 48.7 hours per week by March 2023. The stress associated with long working hours has permeated every aspect of daily life.  

The "2023 National Health Insight Report - Family Health Edition," recently released by the Dingxiang Doctor Data Research Institute, also shows that "emotional issues" ranked second among health concerns in the past year, further triggering a cascade of related problems, including poor skin condition, sleep disturbances, and hair loss, with rising worries about these health issues becoming increasingly common. Currently, a majority of young people are caught in a vicious cycle of high work pressure, poor emotional well-being, insomnia, and poor sleep quality.  

Mechanisms by which probiotics influence brain behavior  

As interest in the gut microbiome continues to grow, numerous studies have indicated that the gut microbiome is a key component in regulating brain function and behavior. An article published in 2022 in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology explored the mechanisms by which probiotics affect brain health and mental disorders (the microbiome-gut-brain axis), with a particular focus on the current state of clinical research regarding the use of probiotics in the treatment of mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.

So far, the microbiome communicates bidirectionally with the brain through the microbiome-gut-brain axis (MGB). According to published literature, this interaction primarily occurs through three pathways:

1.Neural Pathways in the Nervous System

The gut houses the enteric nervous system (ENS), a neural network that allows the gut to function independently of brain directives. The primary participant in this bidirectional communication appears to be the vagus nerve—one of the longest nerves in the human body, which directly connects the brain and the gut.

2.Neuroendocrine Pathways

The neuroendocrine pathways involve messengers such as hormones and neurotransmitters. The most common stress hormones are adrenaline and cortisol, both of which are considered indicators of stress. Neurotransmitters, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin, can mitigate stress responses, promoting mental relaxation.

3.Immune Pathways

The gut is the largest immune organ in the human body, with over 70% of immune factors concentrated there, contributing to approximately 80% of the body's resistance. When the immune system detects potential threats or struggles to maintain a healthy state, the immune pathways signal the brain, particularly when they sense signals from the gut. Supporting the immune system through the gut appears to be a fundamental strategy for maintaining emotional health.