The Psychobiotic Revolution

August 21, 2017
Science journalist Anderson and researchers Cryan and Dinan outline the latest in scientific study suggesting that disorders of the body’s microbiota—its community of microorganisms—may be linked to mental-health issues such as anxiety and depression. These microbes, called “psychobiotics,” send messages to the brain via neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. The researchers favor dietary changes and psychobiotic supplements as ways of restoring the body’s microbiota to healthy levels. Regarding diet, they note that American foods, often processed and high in sugar and white flour, can be very unhealthy for microbiota: “Our evolutionary history... didn’t prime us for glazed doughnuts.” In a handy guide format, the authors list a variety of medical conditions, including Crohn’s disease, diabetes, and even autism spectrum disorders, annotating which psychobiotics might be effective in treating each. In addition, they instruct readers in reading and understanding psychobiotic-supplement labels and list the brands that have undergone rigorous testing. This is an accessible guide for a lay audience (though perhaps not for the especially squeamish, who may blanch at this gut-level view of the body) on science that could radically alter the understanding of anxiety and depression, along with a host of other conditions. Agent: Victoria Pryor, Arcadia Literary Agency.

October 15, 2017
It turns out there's science behind the phrase gut feelings. Science writer Anderson joins Irish researchers John F. Cryan and Ted Dinan, proponents of psychobiotics, in this look at the link between moods and the trillions of microbes, or tiny bacteria, that live inside our bodies. From the very first line, they're enthusiastic boosters of this line of inquiry, and they set out to try to make it comprehensible to everyone, offering word definitions as they go. Some passages are easy to understand: food passes through a fleshy valve called the pylorus into the duodenum in the small intestine, so named because it's only an inch in diameter, while it's 23 feet long. Others explanations are trickier: Cytokines trigger your HPA axis, for example, requires a visit to the glossary. The authors offer many suggestions about how to improve gut health, all of which boil down to these basics: It's mentally healthy to exercise, lose weight, temper the use of antibiotics, drink less alcohol, skip sugar, and eat fibrous foods like whole fruit and whole grains.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)