Probiotics For Bipolar Disorder
- mp50081
- Feb 7, 2021
- 3 min read
In this post we’ll be exploring the role probiotics play in managing bipolar disorder.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are live good bacteria that you consume. They help keep your body healthy and also working well.
Probiotics are part of your body’s microbiome aka your “gut”. They play a role in helping as well as restoring your gut flora.
What Are They Used For?
It turns out that probiotics have many uses.
Uses Include:
Help balance friendly bacteria in your digestive system
Probiotics can help and prevent diarrhea
Certain probiotic strains keep your heart healthy
Probiotics may help you lose weight and belly fat
Probiotic supplements may improve some mental health disorders.
How do probiotics this play into managing bipolar disorder?
Bipolar Disorder And Poor Gut Health?!
Did you know that a troubled gut can send signals to your brain? It’s also true that a troubled brain can send signals to your gut.
When you’re having stomach or intestinal problems, they could be caused by anxiety, depression or stress. This is due to your brain and gut being intimately connected. This is called the “gut-brain axis”!
The gut-brain axis is a two-way link between your gut and your brain. Your gut has the second largest number of nerve cells (neurons) in your body after your brain.
Nerve cells in your gut and brain are connected to each other. As a result they send each other chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.
Bipolar Brain And Gut Health
Bipolar Disorder is marked by mood episodes of mania (highs) as well as depression (lows).
In a previous post we talked about how the bipolar brain is different. It has problems with certain brain circuits as well as poor connections between nerve cells. As a result this causes chemical imbalances that affects how your brain works.
Poor connections between nerve cells also happens in the gut. When this happens the gut-brain axis is weakened.
Bipolar Disorder causes depression as well as inflammation. When this happens it can affect the natural ecosystem of your gut.
The gut microbiome can become imbalanced by diet as well as bad lifestyle choices. For example if you eat a highly processed diet with a lot of refined sugar it can decrease the number of good bacteria. As a result it leads to more inflammation and causes anxiety as well as depression.
If you already have bipolar disorder this makes it harder to manage symptoms. How do probiotics help?
Please, Check Out A Related Post, “Tips For Helping A Bipolar Brain”!
How Probiotics Help Bipolar Disorder?
The standard treatment for bipolar disorder includes therapy as well as prescription medications.
Have you ever considered adding a probiotic as part of your treatment?
The strains of probiotic that work the best appear to be “Lactobacillus” as well as “Bifidobacterium“. These appear on the labels of probiotic supplements.
If you’ve considered taking a probiotic, please talk to your doctor first!!!!
Here are some of the ways probiotics help:
Probiotics Lower Inflammation
The inflammation that can happen in your gut makes bipolar disorder worse. Taking a probiotic makes it lower and as a result that amount of good bacteria goes up.
Probiotics Produce Brain Chemicals
At least 95% of the neurotransmitter serotonin comes from your gut. It balances your mood as well as your overall well being.
Taking a probiotic may help to manage serotonin imbalances that come with bipolar disorder. As a result you may see a reduction in symptoms.
Helps You Fight Food Cravings
One cause of food cravings is an imbalance of good bacteria. When you take a probiotic you’re not only helping your mood but also reducing your cravings.
Restore Healthy Bacteria After Taking Antibiotic
When you take an antibiotic you not only kill pathogens, but also good bacteria. As a result your gut is imbalanced and it causes weight gain and also anxiety as well as depression.
Taking probiotics restore balance to your gut.
Boosts Energy
When you’re taking probiotics you’re making digestion better.
It helps you absorb the goodness from the food you eat. Probiotics help with the making of extra B vitamins, essential for higher energy levels.
Probiotics Make Immunity Better
Bipolar Disorder has been linked to immune system problems. Symptoms such as anxiety and stress may cause inflammation.
Inflammation is a normal immune system response when pathogens attack your body.
Overtime too much inflammation ruins your gut. As a result it leaves your body open to repeated infections as well as puzzling pain and fatigue.
Taking probiotics help put your immune system back into balance.
How Do You Handle Your Gut Health?
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