A small but carefully designed clinical trial has added meaningful weight to the idea that gut health and mood are biologically connected — with practical implications for millions of older Americans living with depression.
The trial, published June 17, 2026, in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS), enrolled 58 adults aged 60 and older with moderate depression. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a daily probiotic supplement (containing Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum) or a placebo for 12 weeks, while both groups continued their prescribed antidepressant treatment.
