Is There Really a Supplement That Can Help To Reduce Depression?

I believe there is. I don’t think there are any panaceas when it comes to treating mental health but it appears that Probiotics may be a cog in the wheel when it comes to treating depression.

Yes, Probiotics.  The stuff you get when you eat yogurt (although you probably can’t eat enough yogurt to get the right therapeutic dose that will help to treat depression).

Steenbergen et al., (2015), instructed a group of study participants to take a Probiotic for 4 weeks.  During this time period, cognitive reactivity was measured (the extent to which a sad mood can become worse and ultimately result in depression).

Participants who took the Probiotic reported feeling less distracted by aggressive and ruminating thoughts when in a sad mood.

The positive impact on reducing rumination (continuing to mentally review negative thoughts and events) is important as difficulties with ruminating is a significant factor that can lead to depression.

Take Home Message

Taking a high-quality Probiotic daily can help to prevent sadness from turning into depression.  However, a Probiotic is by no means a “cure all” and should be used in conjunction with other helpful strategies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques, Mindfulness, Exercise and Healthy Eating.