Microbial communities in our body can influence our mental health in several ways. One way they can influence our mental health is by effecting human health negatively. When the human microbiome becomes unbalanced it has been associated with negative health outcomes like, obesity, IBD and other serious illnesses. Poor health can effect a persons quality of life and therefore effect a persons mental health.
The human microbiome has also been seen to effect a persons mental health more directly. Microbes are found throughout the body and can be helpful for facilitating functions and are important for gut-brain communication. It has been seen that people with mental health disorders often have different microbial concentrations than those without mental health disorders. However, this evidence does not prove or show causation but is a factor that could effect a persons overall mental health.
