Scientists are battling depression with yogurt

Alleviating the symptoms of depress could be made easier with yogurt, according to new research.

Researchers from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reversed symptoms of depression in mice by feeding them a probiotic bacteria found in live-culture yogurt. And they hope to discover if it has the effect in humans, too.

The team behind the study found that gut bacteria plays a part in depression, by studying mice before and after they were subjected to stress.

Feeding them the bacteria Lactobacillus returned them to a normal mood, and getting rid of it brought the depressed symptoms back.

They found that the amount of Lactobacillus in the gut affects the level of kynurenine in the blood, which has been shown to cause signs of depression.

Lead researcher Alban Gaultier tells the university's publication UVA Todaythat his findings could mean patients won’t have to “bother with complex drugs and side effects," and says instead they can just “play with the microbiome,” which is the gut’s bacteria.

He said:

It would be magical just to change your diet, to change the bacteria you take, and fix your health -- and your mood.

Gaultier now plans to test his findings on humans – but remember, we're still a way off a definitive answer.

Here's a video of Gaultier explaining the research:

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