Study finds probiotic formula alleviates signs of stress

According to a new randomized study published by the British Journal of Nutrition, Institut Rosell-Lallemand probiotic formula Probio'Stick (a combination of Lactobacillus Rosell-52 and Bifidobacterium Rosell-175), significantly alleviates psychological distress in volunteers.

These results are supported by a pre-clinical behavioral study also described in the same publication, demonstrating the anxiolytic-like effects of the formula in rats.

In a previous randomized study, Probio'Stick was shown as the first probiotic preparation to efficiently reduce stress-induced gastrointestinal symptoms in chronic stress sufferers.

The formula appears as a potential solution to address both physical and psychological symptoms of stress.

The clinical study was supervised by the team of Drs Messaoudi and Bisson in Nancy, France.

It assessed the effect of one-month Probio'Stick administration on anxiety, depression, stress and coping strategies in healthy human volunteers, thanks to a range of psychological self-assessment tests and a biomarker for stress and anxiety (24 hour urinary free cortisol monitoring).

The study involved 55 healthy stressed subjects in total.

The randomized study showed that one month daily administration of the probiotic preparation (equivalent to 3X109 CFU/day) had a beneficial effect on general signs of anxiety and depression (in particular the somatisation, depression and anger-hostility components, as shown by Hopkins Symptom Checklist-90, an instrument used to evaluate a broad range of psychological problems and symptoms of psychopathology).

It also improved the subject's ability to cope with the stress of everyday's life events (The Ways of Coping Checklist).

Results of the self-assessment tests were correlated by a decrease of urinary free cortisol levels in the probiotic treated group, a biomarker for stress and anxiety.

The investigators reported that it was the first time that free cortisol level was monitored during a probiotic clinical study.

The pre-clinical study that was described in the same publication was based on a rat model of anxiety which is commonly used to screen anxiolytic agents.

After two weeks treatment, Probio'Stick showed a significant anxiolytic-like effect, comparable to that of Diazepam which was used as a positive control.