Neuroscience Research Showcase
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(All authors are affiliated with the Department of Biology: Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, University of Mississippi)
Members of the Hom Lab are studying the potential benefits of water kefir consumption on Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms and mental health through Brain-Gut-Microbiota Axis modulation. Water kefir is a probiotic-rich beverage produced by the fermentation of sugar water using symbiotic aggregates of microbes known as water kefir grains (WKGs). WKGs consist of various yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic bacteria bound together through extracellular polysaccharides. Probiotics are defined as foods or supplements that contain live, beneficial microbes that foster well-being of the consumer. Prebiotics are food sources that support beneficial human microflora. Numerous microbes in kefir are believed to be probiotic (e.g., Lactobacillus sp.) and the kefir liquor is believed to be prebiotic, containing indigestible polysaccharides like kefirin that support a healthy gut. IBS is a mild health disorder affecting the large intestine and occurring in approximately 10%-15% of the US population. Common IBS symptoms include abdominal cramping, bloating, flatulence, and, in more moderate to severe cases, diarrhea and/or constipation. The gut microbiome is hypothesized to play an important regulatory role on brain health and function. Interestingly, those diagnosed with IBS are three times more likely than healthy individuals to have symptoms of anxiety or depression. We are currently piloting a study of how daily kefir consumption impacts participant-reported changes in IBS-related gastrointestinal symptoms and mental health well-being. We plan to use our preliminary findings as the basis for a larger study on the mental health effects of consuming water kefir in a broader population of college students who identify as moderately or slightly stressed, anxious, or depressed.
Publication Date
4-15-2025
Relational Format
poster
Disciplines
Neurosciences
Recommended Citation
Nguyen, Danh; Digges, Kate; Morris, Emerson; Hinkley-Kellum, Nicole; Simpson, Cas; McCarty, Dow; and Hom, Erik F. Y., "The Effect of Kefir Consumption on Gut and Mental Well-Being" (2025). Neuroscience Research Showcase. 27.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/neuro_showcase/27
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