How the Gut Microbiome Can Help Reform the Prison System

The United Kingdom has one of the highest incarceration rates in Western Europe. It also has some of the most overcrowded and under-resourced prisons, with reports of substandard living conditions and inadequate healthcare.

Prisons are meant to provide rehabilitation and promote positive behaviour change, but the reality is that they often perpetuate cycles of violence, trauma, and mental health issues. However, recent research has shown that a unique area of our bodies may hold the key to transforming the prison system: our gut microbiome.

The gut microbiome refers to the trillions of microorganisms that reside in our digestive tract. These microorganisms are involved in numerous physiological functions, including digestion, immunity, and the production of neurotransmitters that impact mood and behaviour.

Research has shown that diet, stress, and environmental factors can all affect the composition and function of the gut microbiome, which in turn can impact our physical and mental health.

In the context of the prison system, these factors are particularly relevant.

So, is there a link between gut health and behaviour in prisons?

Incarcerated individuals often have limited access to healthy food options, are exposed to high levels of stress, and live in environments that are conducive to the growth of harmful bacteria.

All of these factors can lead to imbalances in the gut microbiome, which have been linked to a range of negative health outcomes, including increased inflammation, depression, anxiety and impulsive behaviour. 

Despite the challenges, there are some promising examples of how the gut microbiome can be used to improve the health and well-being of incarcerated individuals.

A 2008 pilot study conducted in UK prisons found that providing prisoners with just a dietary supplement of increased vitamins, minerals, and fibre led to improvements in gut health, as well as reductions in stress and anxiety levels while increasing ability to handle day-to-day stresses of the environment.

More recently, other studies have estimated reduced violence by 30 percent.

Across the pond, many advocates and several organisations in the United States are working to bring nutrition and gut-health interventions to incarcerated populations, with the aim of reducing violence and recidivism rates.

In recent years, new trends related to nutritional gut-health interventions in carceral settings have emerged in both the UK and the U.S. Food Matters, Harvest Now, and Planting Justice are a few of the names in the game to bring nutritional, gut-health based interventions and, generally, food sustainability to the prison environment.

Emily Shelton, founder and director of Ignite Justice,  says that although nutritional interventions and microbiome health aren’t the main mission of her organisation, it is certainly a concern. 

“Our focus is on reforming the criminal legal system, specifically prisons, in order to ensure real, restorative rehabilitation,” says Shelton. “We know from studies that if the conditions aren’t prime for rehabilitation, then that work cannot take place. And food, gut health, and overall nutrition actually plays a very large role in effective rehabilitation and behaviour modification.”

And, as it turns out, there’s a whole lot of studies that can be applied to incarcerated populations... 

The potential of these interventions is supported by a growing, intercontinental body of research. For example, a recent study published in the Translational Psychiatry section of the Nature Journal found probiotic treatments strengthened essential gut health linked to physiological and behavioural functions, and were effective in addressing major depressive order.

Another study found that probiotics (which contain live bacteria that can improve gut health) were effective in reducing symptoms of depression, and also anxiety in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Meanwhile, this study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry (and a companionable one, here) found that a dietary intervention (in this case, a Mediterranean-style diet) was associated with improvements in mood and cognitive function in individuals with depression.

While more research is needed to fully understand the potential of these interventions for incarcerated populations, experts in the field are hopeful about their prospects. One expert with the In Prison College Program at CU-Denver, University of Colorado, says that the gut microbiome is an area that’s ripe for further exploration in this context.

“There’s a lot of potential for using nutritional interventions to improve the health of incarcerated individuals,” says Dr. Benjamin Boyce, a prison conditions advocate and professor with CU-Denver’s Department of Communication.

“Probiotics have the ability to restore normal microbial balance, but unfortunately they are seldom considered medical or health care interventions. So we still have a lot to learn about both the science of gut health and the best methods of improving gut health.”

However, there are also challenges to implementing these interventions within the prison system. For one, there are logistical challenges related to providing healthy food options and supplements to incarcerated individuals. There is also a need for more education and training for prison staff on the importance of gut health and the potential of nutritional interventions.

Despite these challenges, many expertsthink that the potential the gut microbiome has to transform the prison system is too great to ignore. As Boyce notes, “When it comes to rehabilitation, modifying one’s gut health is often key to modifying one’s behaviour.”

As our perusal of these issues moves forward, it is essential that we continue to invest in research and education around the gut microbiome and its potential to transform the prison system.

We must also work to ensure that incarcerated individuals have access to healthy food options and other interventions that support gut health. By doing so, we can create a more just and equitable system that promotes positive behaviour change and supports the health and well-being of all individuals, both inside and outside of prison walls.

C. is a writer and advocate interested in prison/criminal justice reform, LGBTQ rights, harm reduction and government/cultural criticism. She has studied history/theology with the Third Order of Carmelites and completed degrees in Systematic Theology. She is currently studying law.