Rising Mental Health Concerns in Children and Young People: Magical Microbiome
Feb 21, 2025
Welcome to part 4 of my mini-series exploring possible causes for the sharp increase of children and teenagers experiencing mental health concerns, in which I explore role that gut health can play in mental health.
The community of microorganisms living in the digestive tract, known as the gut microbiome, has been shown to play a crucial role in both physical and mental health.
Research suggests that an imbalanced gut microbiome can impact the body's production of neurotransmitters and hormones which can lead to changes in mood, behaviour and cognitive function. In addition, the gut microbiome has also been linked to inflammation, which is a risk factor for several mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.
To find out more about how changes in gut health and the microbiome over time (which can be caused by things like the use of antibiotics or a diet lacking in the right nutrients to feed the microbiome properly) could be contributing to the increasing rates of mental health problems in children, just click on the box below.
Warmest wishes
Frances x
