Sweet drinks, gut bacteria, and the hidden link to depression

A German cohort finds that soft drink intake may quietly shape gut microbes and mood, revealing a biological bridge between sugar and sadness

Topline

A new study reports that people who consume more soft drinks are more likely to have major depressive disorder and more severe symptoms. The link appears partly biological: in women, higher soft drink intake corresponded with greater abundance of a gut bacterium called Eggerthella, which in turn correlated with depression severity.

Study details

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