A new Socio-Economic Assessment (SEA) conducted by IPA Europe explores scenarios in which probiotic use in the context of the gut–brain axis could be associated with annual economic benefits of up to €48 billion for the European Union, based on assumptions related to improvements in health outcomes and productivity.
Mental health challenges in Europe
Mental health and neurological conditions represent one of the most significant public health challenges in Europe today. Approximately one in six EU citizens were affected by mental health conditions in 2018, amounting to 84 million people, with numbers continuing to rise.
For healthcare stakeholders, policymakers, and industry representatives, identifying scalable and economically sustainable approaches remains a key priority.
Now, a comprehensive socio-economic assessment highlights an area of growing scientific interest: expanding the use of probiotics to target the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA).
Understanding the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis
For over a decade, research has established a bidirectional communication system between the central nervous system (CNS) and the gut microbiota, known as the MGBA. Gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in intestinal microorganisms, can negatively impact immune function, inflammation mechanisms, and the production of neurotransmitters critical for proper neurological functioning.
Clinical and preclinical studies indicate that specific probiotic formulations, often referred to as “psychobiotics”, can modulate these pathways. Evidence shows that daily administration of certain probiotic blends can alleviate psychological distress, reduce anxiety-like behaviors, and improve symptoms of depression.
Beyond transient stress, the MGBA is also linked to chronic conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, and neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
While probiotics are not intended as a treatment for these major psychiatric or neurological conditions, systematic reviews conclude they offer valuable symptom relief, enhance biological resilience to stress, and could potentially slow disease progression.
The Economic impact in the EU
According to the OECD, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health disorders cost the pre-Brexit EU Member States over 4% of GDP, equivalent to €758 billion in 2024 prices. This includes massive direct healthcare costs (€245 billion) and severe indirect costs tied to lost productivity and employment (€303 billion).
Furthermore, neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders add hundreds of billions more to this burden. Despite these significant expenditures, Europe faces a severe treatment gap.
The Economic Case for Probiotics
What if small improvements in health outcomes could translate into significant societal and economic benefits? The socio-economic assessment modeled the potential financial benefits of expanding probiotic use, using a conservative scenario of a 1% improvement in mental health.
The results present a compelling economic rationale for investment and policy integration:
The Upper-Bound Scenario: if expanded probiotic use also contributes to reducing the overall prevalence of these conditions alongside symptom severity, the economic benefits could multiply. The assessment estimates potential savings ranging between €17 billion and €48 billion every single year.
The Lower-Bound Scenario: assuming probiotics solely alleviate symptoms and improve daily functioning (without reducing the overall prevalence of the conditions), the EU could save €4.9 billion annually in reduced sick leave, absenteeism, and lost utility for mental illnesses. Adding the savings for autism (€0.99 billion), the total lower-bound economic benefit reaches €5.9 billion per year.
A visual summary of the key insights
Implications for stakeholders
For medical doctors and psychiatrists, these findings contribute to the growing discussion around the gut microbiome as part of personalized, broader approaches to mental wellbeing. For industry leaders, there is a clear mandate to fund targeted research to optimize dosages, identify specific strain efficacies, and bring evidence-based psychobiotics to clinical application. Finally, for policymakers, recognizing the potential health and economic implications of nutrition and gut health could be a transformative step.
Integrating microbiome-targeted approaches into broader public health frameworks offers a highly cost-effective tool to support the 84 million Europeans living with mental health challenges, while simultaneously alleviating the pressure on the EU economy.
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Download a ready-made slide deck to present the key concepts from this article
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Access a comprehensive dossier summarizing the latest data on probiotic use.
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Read the full Socio Economic Impact Assessment (SEA) on Probiotics in Europe
