We know that prebiotics are good for gut health because they’re what our good bacteria eat. And they need to eat to be strong to fight off bad bacteria like c-diff. But…prebiotics help with anxiety too! At least according to this study: “A new study has found that 4-weeks of daily galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) prebiotic intake can reduce anxiety levels and result in an overall improvement in wellbeing in young women.” Of course, we know from experience that c-diff affects us mentally as well as physically.
As many of you know, I prefer to get my pro and prebiotics from food naturally, rather than from supplements. I don’t know of this research would translate to that. The supplement in this study is galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). GOS are made up of plant sugars linked in chains. They are found naturally in dairy products (no, thank you!), beans (yes!), and certain root vegetables (double yes!). I’ve eaten beans and root veggies throughout my recovery. Turns out maybe they’re good for gut and mental health!
Note: WebMD did offer a warning for those with autoimmune diseases, since GOS (as a supplemet) can kick up the immune system, it may have some negative effects. Also, if used medicinally, it can have side effects no c-diff survivor wants, like gas, bloating, and even diarrhea (also WebMD). It’s kind of why I like to stick to foods instead of supplements. We benefit from the other nutrients that surround them when we get them from food: it’s like “a spoonful of sugar,” it helps make the medicine go down. 😉
Wider than the Sky 