What we eat directly affects our mental health

A new study from the scientists at the APC Microbiome Institute, Ireland, University College Cork and Teagasc Food Research Centre have again linked diet with mental health.  The scientists found that eating high fibre foods reduces the effects of stress on the gut which then directly affects behaviour.  The study published in The Journal of Physiology, found that short-chain fatty acids decrease the levels of stress, anxiety and depression (short-chain fatty acids are produced when dietary fibre is fermented in the colon, they are the primary energy source for cells in the gut).

Professor John F. Cryan, research author said, “There is a growing recognition of the role of gut bacteria and the chemicals they make in the regulation of physiology and behaviour.  The role of short-chain fatty acids in this process is poorly understood up until now.” 

NOTE:  The APC Microbiome Institute at University College Cork, founded in 2003 is a world leading research centre co-funded  by the Irish Government and the European Union.  The Institute is well known for work exploring the role that microbiota play in health and disease.  The Institute leads in scientific work linking mental health, diet and the microbiome.