Psychobiotics in functional nutrition: Role and availability

The paper is relevant as it is necessary to look for and test new approaches for prevention and treatment of psychological disorders, including both pharmacotherapy and functional nutrition with nutraceuticals of natural origin, namely probiotics. Objective. The aim of the study is to examine the prospects and possibilities of new generation probiotics, namely psychobiotics, in functional nutrition of patients with various psychological disorders. Materials and Methods. The authors analyzed publications from the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medline and PubMed. Results. The paper states the significance of risk factors associated with nutrition in the dynamics of population mortality and disability and the role of nutriome as the formula for optimal human nutrition. The authors studied modern concepts on functional nutrition, functional products, their properties and effectiveness in solving medical, social and health protection problems in Russia. The article substantiates the feasibility of functional nutrition (including psychobiotics), in various population groups due to the increase of psychological disorders caused by military conflicts, emergencies, manmade and natural disasters. The authors analyzed the role of intestinal microbiome in the development of depressive states, mechanisms of interaction between the intestinal microbiome and the central nervous system, and the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Moreover, the authors present the results of randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses, indicating a positive effect of psychobiotics on a person with psychological disorders. They also report about a clinical study on the psychobiotic “Bifistim® Antistress” presented on the Russian market. Conclusion. Domestic and foreign experience shows the potential of psychobiotics as a means of functional nutrition with minimal side effects in the complex treatment of psychological disorders, anxiety and depressive states.