Our gut and brain are interconnected via a two-way communication system known as the ‘gut-brain axis’. This includes endocrinological, immunological, and neuronal signals between gut microbes and the brain.³ A major part of this intricate system is the vagus nerve pathway, which responds to microbiota metabolites via afferent neurons and carries nerve impulses to the central nervous system.⁴ Targeting vagal nerve responsiveness and a healthy gut microbiota with specific probiotic strains can restore a healthy microbiota-gut-brain axis and modulate the stress response.^5,6

Supports a healthy stress response. Lactobacillus paracasei (Lpc-37™) and Lactobacillus plantarum 299v can modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to stress, providing a protective effect on the HPA axis in stressed individuals.⁷ A randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial showed that 299v acts via short chain fatty acid production to influence the gut-brain axis to prevent a rise in cortisol during times of acute stress in individuals (Figure 1).⁸

Mood support: Probiotics can illicit positive changes in neurotransmitters such as tryptophan, serotonin, kynurenine, and dopamine via the gut-brain  axis. 299v significantly reduces levels of kynurenines, which are believed to  negatively impact mood.¹⁰