Acute Supplementation with a Multistrain and Multispecies Probiotic Does Not Improve Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Depression and Anxiety in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Carra, Francesca

Acute Supplementation with a Multistrain and Multispecies Probiotic Does Not Improve Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Depression and Anxiety in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Persistent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/10456/42913

Author(s)

Carra, Francesca

Date Issued

March 31, 2017

Abstract

Depression, anxiety, and gastrointestinal discomfort are comorbid conditions with high prevalence and, surprisingly, have proven difficult to effectively treat. The gut-brain axis is the term used to explain the connection between the gut microbiome and the nervous system. Studies using animal models have revealed a link between gut microbiome alterations and anxiety and other nervous system functions, suggesting that gut microbes interact bidirectionally with other body systems, especially the nervous system. There are few, rigorous, prospective research examining these effects in humans. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, one-hundred participants were randomly assigned to ingest two capsules, either VSL#3,a multistrain probiotic, or a matched placebo, everyday for 2 weeks. Participants completed the the Center for Epidemiological Studies Scales of Depression, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Questionnaire before and after treatment. It was hypothesized that participants in the probiotic group would have significantly decreased depression, anxiety, and GI symptoms when compared to the placebo at Time 2. However, results indicated no significant interaction between time and treatment groups. These findings suggest that a 2-week supplementation with multistrain probiotics does not decrease depression, anxiety, or GI symptoms in young adults. Future research should further examine strain specific probiotics, and synergistic effects for increasingly longer durations to better understand how supplemental bacteria impact the immune, nervous, and GI symptoms.

Major

Neuroscience

Psychology

Honors

Neuroscience, 2017

Psychology, 2017

First Reader(s)

Conklin, Sarah M.