Written by James Kingsland on May 4, 2021 — Fact checked by Anna Guildford, Ph.D.
Could prebiotics help relieve anxiety? Getty Images
There is an intimate, two-way line of communication between the gut and the brain, called the gut-brain axis.
This allows the gut microbiota — the community of microorganisms living in the gut — to affect mood, with possible links to anxiety and depression.
There is good evidence that prebiotics, which feed “friendly” bacteria in the gut, can help relieve depression in healthy adults.
A new study suggests that a type of prebiotic may also reduce anxiety in some females in late adolescence, through changes in their gut microbiota.