This information is based on personal experiences and general knowledge. It is not professional medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or treatment plans. This content was created with the assistance of AI tools to ensure thorough research and readability.
Before Thorazine was developed in 1950 (and approved for psychiatric use in 1954), treatments for mental illness were often drastic and experimental. For instance, in 1949, Egas Moniz, the inventor of the lobotomy, was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work. This controversial procedure involved severing connections in the brain and was performed on tens of thousands of patients. However, some doctors during this period explored even more radical approaches, including colectomy—the removal of the colon.
The theory behind colectomy was based on the now-debunked idea that gut bacteria might contribute to mental illness. Some believed that removing part or all of the colon could alleviate psychiatric symptoms. This procedure was highly experimental and dangerous, with a mortality rate of up to 30%. Despite the risks, some surgeons claimed that it resulted in improvements for surviving patients, citing examples where removing the colon in children supposedly prevented “abnormal sex practices” like masturbation, which was wrongly believed at the time to lead to mental illness. These outdated practices are now recognized as misguided, similar to the unnecessary mastectomies once performed for menstrual breast pain.
Fortunately, not all physicians resorted to such extreme measures. Some researchers proposed a less invasive approach—modifying the gut microbiome through diet and probiotics. Over a century ago, doctors began experimenting with probiotic-rich diets for treating psychiatric illnesses like depression. Some of these doctors believed that certain physical symptoms, like foul-smelling, dry stools, were linked to mental distress. Patients who underwent a regimen of probiotics reportedly experienced both psychological improvements and healthier bowel movements—softer, more regular stools with less odor. However, it’s important to note that these patients were also put on a vegetarian diet, so the improvements may not have been solely due to probiotics.
For nearly a century, the connection between the gut and mental health remained relatively unexplored. However, a new field has emerged: enteric neuroscience, which focuses on the enteric nervous system (the vast network of nerves in the gut). The enteric nervous system has been called a “second brain” due to its size, complexity, and similarity to the brain itself. The gut contains as many neurons as the spinal cord, allowing it to process significant amounts of stimuli from food and bacteria, while also communicating with the brain.
Many people have experienced the connection between the brain and the gut firsthand—such as feeling “butterflies in the stomach” when nervous. Studies have shown that stress can alter the balance of gut bacteria, affecting both beneficial and harmful microbes. A study conducted in Australia found that changes in gut bacteria due to stress in students during exam week persisted for a full week after the exams were over. This finding confirmed that mental states can influence the gut. The more intriguing question remains: could gut bacteria also influence our mental health?
For example, many patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) report digestive issues, prompting researchers to examine whether probiotics might offer relief. Some studies suggest that probiotics could improve both mental and emotional well-being in these patients, though further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms.
Can Probiotics Improve Mental Health in Healthy Individuals?
A pivotal study titled "Assessment of the Psychotropic Properties of Probiotics" marked a turning point in understanding the link between gut health and mental health. The research found that one month of probiotic supplementation was associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger, and hostility. Prior to this study, the idea that gut bacteria could influence the brain seemed far-fetched, but now it’s a growing area of scientific interest.
The Future: Fecal Transplants for Mental Health?
Given the connection between gut health and mood, some researchers are exploring the possibility of fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) as a treatment for certain mental health conditions. FMT involves transferring gut bacteria from a healthy donor to a patient, and while still highly experimental, it represents an exciting frontier in probiotic research.
Other Potential Benefits of Probiotics
In addition to mental health, gut bacteria may play a role in:
- Weight control – Certain strains of bacteria might influence metabolism and regulate body weight.
- Cancer prevention – Some gut bacteria help break down plant-based compounds (such as those found in flaxseeds) into anti-cancer metabolites.
The study of the gut-brain connection is still in its early stages, but emerging evidence suggests that probiotics could be a powerful tool for both mental and physical well-being. As research continues, we may discover even more ways that our 100 trillion microbial partners shape our health.
- Nutritionfacts.org, Grok AI
