Probiotics in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms: an integrative review
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Abstract
Objectives: To summarize studies that evaluated probiotic supplementation as a therapeutic strategy for anxiety and depression symptoms. Methods: An integrative review of articles indexed in the PubMed, SciELO and Virtual Health Library databases published between January 2010 and September 2019. For this purpose, the combination of descriptors: “intestine”, “brain”, “Intestinal microbiota”, “anxiety”, “depression”, “probiotics”, in Portuguese and English. Results: After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 13 randomized clinical trials were selected. The duration of the studies in its majority was 8 or 12 weeks (61.5%; n = 8), and the most offered form of the supplement was the probiotic powder (46.2%; n = 6) and capsule (30.8%; n = 4). Regarding the use of scales as a parameter for assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression, 38.5% (n = 5) used only one scale and 69.2% (n = 8) used the combination of two or three scales. Regarding the genus of bacteria, most studies used Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium together (53.8%; n = 7). Despite methodological limitations and inconsistent results, most clinical trials (76.92%; n = 10) showed a significant reduction in symptoms related to anxiety and depression through probiotic supplementation. Conclusion: The evidence indicates that supplementation with probiotics has a potential in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, however further research is needed on this strategy as an adjunctive therapy in effective treatment for mental health.
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