7 September 2019 | New Scientist | 5“KILLS all known germs” was once an
effective advertising slogan. Now we
know this promise isn’t as desirable as
it might sound. Not all “germs” are bad.
In fact, you couldn’t survive without
help from the many microbes that live
on and within you.
A thriving microbiome isn’t just
essential for your physical health,
though. In the latest twist to this story
it turns out that microbes in your gut
also influence your mood.
These so-called psychobiotics are
intimately entwined with us from birth.
They help shape the developing human
brain, particularly the areas associated
with emotions. They also exert day-to-
day control over how we feel.
The mystery of how single-celled
organisms have an effect on our minds
from a distance is starting to be solved(see page 34). Intriguingly, bacteria in
our intestinal tract can produce almost
all the same neurotransmitters we
generate in our brains, and they have
a hotline from the gut to the head.
As yet, we don’t know exactly whichmicrobes influence our moods. Still,
we know enough about psychobiotics to
start to benefit from them. Experiments
show that consuming certain probiotic
foods can help people cope with
anxiety and depression, the most
common causes of disability worldwide.
With more research and a better
understanding of the bacteria involved,
psychobiotics look set to offer a real
alternative to drugs and cognitive
behavioural therapy for a range of
mood disorders.
Some will find this liberating,
because it offers hope of taking back
control from a mental health condition.
But the psychobiotics revolution has
implications for all. Anyone can cultivate
feel-good bacteria in their gut with the
right kind of diet (see page 36). You really
can eat yourself happier. ❚Mood boosters
Mental health researchers are looking to the gut for answers
Bacteroides found in the human
gut can affect your state of mindDENNIS KUNKEL MICROSCOPY/SPLThe leader
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