Fermented foods, neuroticism, and social anxiety: An interaction model

Hilimire, DeVylder, and Forestell (2015) hypothesized that fermented foods likely to contain probiotics may relate to neuroticism and social anxiety symptoms, given the established evidence for probiotics possessing an anxiolytic influence. Fermented foods intake, neuroticism and social anxiety were self-reported by 710 young adults in this experiment. An interaction model revealed that neuroticism, exercise frequency, and fermented food consumption significantly and independently predicted social anxiety. Importantly, more frequent consumption of fermented foods in those high in neuroticism resulted in fewer symptoms of social anxiety. This study suggests that fermented food products likely to contain probiotics may be a useful and cost-efficient way to prevent/manage anxiety symptoms especially in individuals with neuroticism tendencies. [NPID: fermented food, probiotics, neuroticism, social anxiety, probiotics, exercise, anxiety]

Year: 2015

Reference: Hilimire, M. R., DeVylder, J. E., & Forestell, C. A. (2015). Fermented foods, neuroticism, and social anxiety: An interaction model. Psychiatry research, 228(2), 203–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2015.04.023