Advertisement
This Popular Fermented Drink Was Linked To Fewer Depressive Behaviors
Kombucha is best known as a fizzy, fermented tea that may support gut health. But could its effects extend to the brain?
In a recent animal study1, researchers explored how kombucha affected gut bacteria and mood-related behaviors in mice, including whether their diet influenced the results.
About the study
Researchers divided male mice into two groups.
One ate a standard diet, while the other ate a Western-style diet. Within each group, some mice drank kombucha for seven weeks, while others drank water.
Researchers then used behavioral tests to assess anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. They also analyzed gut bacteria and measured compounds in the gut and brain that might help explain the effects.
Kombucha was linked to fewer depression-like behaviors
Mice that drank kombucha showed fewer depression-like behaviors than those drinking water, regardless of diet.
They also showed fewer anxiety-like behaviors, but only if they ate the Western-style diet.
Kombucha was also linked to changes in gut bacteria involved in processing tryptophan, an amino acid the body uses to make serotonin, a chemical messenger involved in mood regulation.
The effects varied by diet. Mice eating the standard diet had higher levels of short-chain fatty acids, compounds produced when gut bacteria break down certain foods. These fatty acids help support the gut lining.
Meanwhile, mice eating the Western-style diet had higher levels of tryptophan and kynurenine, a related compound, in their brain tissue. They also had smaller spleens, organs involved in immune function.
The significance of these changes remains unclear.
What this means for the gut-brain connection
The gut and brain communicate through nerves, chemical messengers, and signals from gut microbes. Researchers are exploring whether changing the gut's microbial environment could influence brain function and behavior.
Kombucha contains live microorganisms, organic acids, and plant compounds that may affect this environment. However, the study doesn't establish whether changes in gut bacteria caused the behavioral effects.
It's also important to remember that mice don't experience depression and anxiety as humans do.
Behavioral tests can identify similar patterns, but they can't tell us whether kombucha improves people's mood. And because some effects depended on diet, the results may not apply equally to everyone.
Human trials are needed to determine whether kombucha has meaningful mental health benefits.
Should you drink kombucha for your brain?
If you enjoy kombucha, it can be part of a varied diet, but there's no strong evidence that it improves mood in humans. Other fermented foods, including yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut, offer variety, too, although their effects aren't necessarily the same.
Kombucha also shouldn't replace professional mental health support or prescribed treatment if you're experiencing persistent anxiety or low mood.
The takeaway
Your kombucha habit might have a few more scientific plot twists ahead. For now, though, the brain benefits remain a mouse-sized mystery, not a proven perk for people.
