Psychobiotics Promise to Fix Your Mood Through Your Gut

The Trend: We’ve all heard of antibiotics; now enter psychobiotics, which are supplements containing live bacteria that claim to improve your mood by changing what’s happening in your gut. The premise rests on the gut-brain axis, the established link between digestive and nervous systems.

What People Are Saying: Brands frame these supplements as different from botanicals like ashwagandha or other established ingredients like magnesium, since psychobiotics are designed to work with your own microbiome. With that in mind, supplement industry insiders say interest in psychobiotics is climbing because people want a more natural-sounding support that eases stress and helps with sleep or focus all at the same time (one company in the space says 65% of people now rank mental wellness as their top wellness priority).

What to Know: The research is more mixed than the marketing for psychobiotics would have you believe. A recent review of human trials found the effects largely depend on the bacteria strain and who’s taking it. One strain improved sleep during exam stress, and a multi-strain formula decreased anxiety symptoms in college students at higher doses, but other strains showed no difference. So experts suggest taking a closer look at your sleep, eating, and exercise habits before reaching for psychobiotics.