Probiotics may ease anxiety

Taking probiotic supplements may ease symptoms of anxiety in people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a new preliminary study suggests. 

The study published in the journal Gut Pathogens showed people with CFS who took probiotic Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota lessened symptoms of anxiety. 

For the study, Venket Rao from the University of Toronto and colleagues randomly assigned Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota or placebo daily to 39 CFS patients for two months. 

The researchers found those receiving the probiotic boosted their fecal levels of both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria compared to those who received the placebo. And a significant reduction in the symptoms of anxiety was also observed in the study group. 

It is unknown why those who took probiotic supplements experienced less severe symptoms of anxiety. The researchers acknowledged that further research is needed to provide an explanation as to why taking Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota reduced the severity of anxiety.

(By David Liu, and edited by Heather Kelley)