| I recently read a news story about a study | | | | indications from this study hold up under further |
| conducted at the University of Toronto. It has | | | | research and probiotic supplements do turn out to |
| shown that taking a probiotic supplement every | | | | be viable option it will be good news for sufferers |
| day has apparently improved symptoms of | | | | because unlike medicines, which can bring about a |
| anxiety disorders in people who suffer from CFS | | | | host of unwanted side effects, probiotics could be |
| (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). This research came | | | | a safe and easy alternative. |
| out of a team led by A. Venket Rao, based on a | | | | Perhaps what led them to look at probiotics in the |
| two month study which showed a significant | | | | first place was that patients with CFS are also |
| decrease in the subjects anxiety symptoms. | | | | often afflicted with digestive disorders frequently |
| Those who are not usually interested in natural | | | | connected with the decreased presence of good |
| health products are probably wondering. "What is | | | | bacteria in the body. This is something that natural |
| a probiotic?" Very simply, it is a natural dietary | | | | health products advocates have long used |
| supplement that contains live bacteria - for | | | | probiotics to improve. Because the good bacteria |
| example Lactobacillus or Bifidobacteria. This good | | | | present in the probiotic supplements is able to help |
| bacteria in the digestive system, boosts the | | | | the body crowd out the bad bacteria in the gut |
| immune system and helps to fight off harmful | | | | and this bad bacteria has already been linked with |
| bacteria. RGarden's L. Salivarius is one such | | | | an increase in depression and other mood |
| product that helps maintain the natural "good' | | | | disorders, the researchers feel that bacteria levels |
| bacteria living in each person. | | | | may influence our behavior. |
| But what the U of T. researchers were most | | | | The group given probiotics on a daily basis |
| excited to discover was that after two months | | | | showed higher levels of Lactobacillus and |
| of daily probiotics supplementation, the subjects in | | | | Bifidobacteria and this correlated with a significant |
| the study also showed positive results in | | | | decrease in anxiety symptoms in the group. |
| managing disorders such as anxiety and | | | | These patients also demonstrated digestive |
| depression. They have published their findings in | | | | improvements such as a decrease in inflammation, |
| the journal BioMed Central. | | | | bloating and gas. |
| Their study was conducted on subjects suffering | | | | "The findings are huge," said study co-author |
| from CFS - Chronic fatigue syndrome which | | | | Alison C. Bested, who went on to say the the |
| exhibits many symptoms including persistent | | | | study subjects felt calmer and better able to |
| fatigue- and for almost half of those affected - | | | | cope with their illness, slept better and showed |
| sleep disturbances, depression and anxiety. If the | | | | less symptoms of anxiety. |