Natural Rx to boost mood and rev energy
SSRI prescriptions have doubled since 1999. But the mood-lifting meds can cause joint pain, insomnia and more. A safer bet: optimizing gut bacteria to outsmart sadness. Here’s how
Anyone who’s ever gotten butterflies before a presentation or felt a twist in their belly on the first day of a new job already knows the brain can make the gut do strange things. But now scientists say the reverse is also true. “I like to think of the gut as ‘the little brain,’” says Emeran Mayer, M.D., a professor of medicine and psychiatry at UCLA and author of The Mind-Gut Connection. “We have a mesh-like system of neurons sandwiched between the layers of our gut that can communicate with our brain through the vagus nerve, which is like an information highway to the brain,” he explains. Plus, gut bacteria manufacture 95 percent of our serotonin and 50 percent of our dopamine—two key mood-boosting neurotransmitters. What that means: “When we alter the makeup of our gut microbes, we can alter the messages sent to the brain, which in turn may improve mood, ease depression and increase energy.” Read on for the easy study-proven ways to do it.
Best DIY Close the kitchen at 7 PM
Intermittent fasting bolsters gut bacteria without leaving you starving. “Start with a simple 16-hour stretch,” advises Mark Hyman, M.D., director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. To do: Once a week, stop eating by 7 pm and have breakfast the next day around 11 am. Fasting deprives gut microbes of nutrients, promoting the growth of good bacteria and reducing the growth of harmful bugs, say scientists in the journal Nature Communications. It also leads to gut changes that rev the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a brain protein that encourages brain cell growth and helps maintain brain circuits. Says Dr. Hyman, “It’s Miracle-Gro for the brain and a natural antidepressant.”
Best supplement One with 8 strains
“Probiotic supplements can restore gut flora, which can directly impact mood,” says Dr. Hyman. “Think of it this way: We have millions of gut flora communicating messages to our whole body, including our brain. So if we create good bacteria, we create good messages to send to our brain.” Proof of the mood-lifting power of probiotics: In a study in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, people who took a probiotic that included 8 types of bacteria (including strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus) for 4 weeks ruminated on negative thoughts 27 percent less often than those who didn’t supplement. A brand that fits the bill: Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic 50 Billion ($34 for 30 capsules, Vitacost.com).
Best foods A rainbow of veggies
“Studies show early humans consumed upward of
600 different foods a year—today we eat less than 20,” asserts microbiome researcher Kiran Krishnan. “And that huge reduction in diversity of what we’re feeding our microbiome has led to a huge reduction in the diversity of the microbiome itself.” But diversity is key for enhanced communication on the gut-brain axis, says Dr. Mayer. His advice: “Eat a wide variety of food with a focus on plantbased options rich in prebiotics—plant fibers that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.” To start, Dr. Hyman suggests adding prebiotic-rich garlic, onions and leeks to meals. Bonus: These foods may ease depression by lowering body stores of inflammatory homocysteine.