A Deakin University study will examine the link between consumption of dairy products, free of the conventional A1-protein strain, with mental and gut health especially in women.

Typical dairy products have the A1 and A2-protein strain but there are some available that are A1 free.

Director at Deakin’s Food and Mood Centre Felice Jacka said the main topic of interest in the study was that anything that affects the gut affects mental health.

“The gut, we are increasingly understanding, is involved in virtually every aspect of our physical, mental and brain health,” she told 3AW Breakfast.

“Diet is the key variable that affects that the most, and it also affects it very quickly.

“There’s some evidence the A1-protein can have an impact on the gut and that’s one of the reasons we’re testing it.”

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