This bacterial species is one that you want to feed up if you suffer from a mood disorder.
Research has identified that Individuals with major depression have significantly lower levels of bifidobacteria when compared to healthy controls.
Now what is it about the action of this bacteria that achieves such a strong influence on mental health?
Let me break it down for you.
Multiple strains of bifidobacteria have been shown to decrease serum endotoxin levels and improve the integrity of the gut lining, reducing intestinal permeability AKA ‘leaky gut’.
When the gut lining is compromised, endotoxins readily seep through, entering the blood stream, where they make it to the brain, cross the blood brain barrier and drive up inflammation.
We’ve now identified that higher bifidobacterium levels are correlated with lower LPS (LPS stands for lipopolysaccharide), LPS is a major endotoxin and causes neurological inflammation. It actually changes how our neurotransmitters are produced and we end up with less serotonin.
To summarise that all for you – If we have more bifidobacteria, than we have less LPS, which means there will be reduced damage to the blood brain barrier, less neurological inflammation and more serotonin being produced.
Additionally, we’ve also found that some strains of bifidobacteria also produce GABA – GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and deficiency is implicated in multiple mood and behavioural disorders.
So, let’s learn a bit more about bifidobacteria and how up can feed these guys up.
Bifidobacteria play a variety of important roles in the microbiome ecosystem.
Here are some health benefits experienced when we support bifidobacteria populations:
- Colonisation resistance – Bifidobacterium inhibit growth of pathogens via anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties against pathogens. The metabolites produced by bifidobacteria also changes the pH balance – via acetate and lactate production, pH goes down and the colonic lumen inhibits the growth of certain pathogens.
- Bifidobacteria play an important role in polyphenol transformation - This is where they transform the polyphenols consumed from the foods we eat into active metabolites that have health conferring benefits.
- They protects against gastrointestinal tract damage and promote healing
- Immune stimulation/modulation - Bifido brings the immune system into balance, tones down allergic responses - great for allergies.
- Vitamin production - Bifido produces B1, B2, B3, B6, folate, B12, biotin - These vitamins are then transported into the blood.
- Many strains are capable of degrading p-cresol (para-creseol) - Para-creseol is genotoxic, nephrotoxic and neurotoxic.
- Bifido are key producers of acetate in the GIT, they cross-feed butyrate producers (the most important short chain fatty acid and major fuel source for our colonocytes.
- Bifido have both local and systemic anti-inflammatory effects
- High levels of bifido enhance secretory IgA (sIgA) levels in the GIT (to a healthy normal range). sIgA antibodies are our first line of defence in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Populations of Bifido are inversely correlated with C-reactive protein levels - Demonstrating their capacity to lower inflammation.
- We see bifidobacterium populations enriched in healthy, long-living elderly vs “normal elderly populations”
Foods demonstrated to increased Bifidobacteria levels
Increase intake of foods that are proven by research as Bifidogenic - meaning they feed and improve the abundance of bifidobacterium species.
See below foods and quantities studied to have a bifidogenic effect:
- Brown rice - 500g/d
- Apples - 2 medium-sized/d
- Black currents - 2 tsp/d of powder
- Dark cocoa - 14g/d (~ 1 tablspn)
- Almonds - 1/3 cup/d
- Green tea - 300mg catechins/d
- Whole grain oats - 80g/d
Ideal populations and how to restore specifically with prebiotics
Ideal populations of bifidobacterium are >2.5-5.0% (typically higher in kids)
Prebiotics shown to enhance Bifidobacterium populations:
To restore bifidobacterium populations there are some wonderful prebiotics that have been extensively studied and shown to selectively feed these guys up
Prebiotic supplements include:
- Lactulose
- FOS – Fructooligosaccharides
- GOS – Galactooligosaccharides
- PHGG – Partially Hydrolysed Guar Gum
- Acacia fibre
- HMOs – Human Milk Oligosacchharides
(PHGG, Acacia fibre and HMO’s are all less gas forming)
If you want to learn more about how to test your Microbiome then either book in an appointment or fill out the contact form and I'll be in touch.
Here's to healthy, happy gut bugs :).