Mind-related issues are one of humanity’s greatest mysteries. Its power and ability to alter the human body are some of the reasons why thousands of scientists are tirelessly searching for answers. In this search, a Dutch researcher ended up discovering that our food (and feces) can be directly related to the human psyche.
In a study that took two years and analyzed the poop of more than two thousand people, Najaf Amin concluded that bacteria found in human excrement can influence the development of depression. According to the researcher of oxford universityin England, the path to digestion can be one of the pillars in the fight against mental illness.
Gut flora and mental health
In studies that have analyzed the relationship between food, feces and disease, there is little evidence on how these processes can influence depression. This, however, does not nullify the relationship between them. With the intention of endorsing these studies and bringing more evidence, Najaf analyzed the phenomena related to the intestinal flora, which can influence the psychological disorder.
It is already known that a balanced diet is related to mental health and, as what we eat is digested by the intestinal flora, experts have sought to look for answers in feces. In this sense, scientists analyzed the excrements to identify the microorganisms present in our intestine.
Supporting the British scientists’ line of study, the researchers took into account the relationship that diseases such as Alzheimer’s, autism and Parkinson’s have with the bacteria we produce in our own bodies.
The research phases
In the first phase, the stool samples of more than a thousand Dutch people were analyzed to identify the microorganisms present. In addition to the collection of organic material, the volunteers also completed questionnaires to assess the presence of supposed signs of depression.
Following the collection of information and data, the researchers correlated the bacteria identified with people who showed a greater tendency to develop a depressive condition. In this sense, 16 types of bacteria associated with depression were identified.
How does this happen?
Despite the results, those responsible for the study believe that this is a first step in the process of identifying the complex causes of depression. According to Robert Kraaij, one of the co-authors of the work, however, this relationship between intestinal bacteria and pathology can occur in two ways:
In the first one, the depressive condition can lead to poor diet and cause an imbalance in this ecosystem. In the other (and which arouses the most interest in scientists), an imbalance in the intestinal flora can interfere with the proper functioning of the brain.
The study also showed that these microorganisms can influence the human mind in three ways. At first, they believe that this imbalance may favor the production of cytokines that affect the functioning of the immune system. The other way is that this imbalance in the microbiota can directly produce substances such as GABA or adrenaline-like substances.
There are three main ways in which this collection of living beings can influence the mind. First, when the microbiota is unbalanced, cytokines can be produced that affect the functioning of the immune system. Another way is through the direct production, by it, of substances that act as signals for the brain, such as GABA or similar to epinephrine.
Food and depression
According to Najaf Amin, the future is headed for diet to become one of the main fighters for depression. Which she sees as something positive, since the maintenance of food has no side effects and is cheaper than the use of medication to treat depression — and is still beneficial in several ways.
In addition, the English researcher still sees the development of probiotics as a direct consequence of research like this, but that this may take time to happen. As she explains, it is still necessary to advance in several aspects and precisely identify the strains of bacteria that may be beneficial before thinking about a product to supplement the diet.
