No clear evidence probiotics can help with human anxiety, study finds

But beneficial bacteria do appear to reduce anxiety in rodents with various problems

There is no clear sign that taking probiotics can help dampen feelings of anxiety in humans, according to new research, despite evidence that it works for rodents.

A wide range of conditions, from obesity to asthma, have been linked to the microbes living in our guts, with a number of studies suggesting a link to mood and behaviour. As a result, there is a burgeoning interest in psychobiotics: using beneficial bacteria known as probiotics to tinker with the gut's microbes to affect brain health.