Effects of a high-prebiotic diet versus probiotic supplements versus synbiotics on adult mental health: The “Gut Feelings” randomised controlled trial
Freijy, Tanya M., Cribb, Lachlan, Oliver, Georgina, Metri, Najwa-Joelle, Opie, Rachelle S., Jacka, Felice N., Hawrelak, Jason A., Rucklidge, Julia J., Ng, Chee H., and Sarris, Jerome (2023) Effects of a high-prebiotic diet versus probiotic supplements versus synbiotics on adult mental health: The “Gut Feelings” randomised controlled trial. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16. 1097278.
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Abstract
Background: Preliminary evidence supports the use of dietary interventions and gut microbiota-targeted interventions such as probiotic or prebiotic supplementation for improving mental health. We report on the first randomised controlled trial (RCT) to examine the effects of a high-prebiotic dietary intervention and probiotic supplements on mental health.
Methods: “Gut Feelings” was an 8-week, 2 × 2 factorial RCT of 119 adults with moderate psychological distress and low prebiotic food intake. Treatment arms: (1) probiotic supplement and diet-as-usual (probiotic group); (2) high-prebiotic diet and placebo supplement (prebiotic diet group); (3) probiotic supplement and high-prebiotic diet (synbiotic group); and (4) placebo supplement and diet-as-usual (placebo group). The primary outcome was assessment of total mood disturbance (TMD; Profile of Mood States Short Form) from baseline to 8 weeks. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, depression, stress, sleep, and wellbeing measures.
Results: A modified intention-to-treat analysis using linear mixed effects models revealed that the prebiotic diet reduced TMD relative to placebo at 8 weeks [Cohen’s d = −0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −1.18, −0.03; p = 0.039]. There was no evidence of symptom improvement from the probiotic (d = −0.19, 95% CI = −0.75, 0.38; p = 0.51) or synbiotic treatments (d = −0.03, 95% CI = −0.59, 0.53; p = 0.92). Improved anxiety, stress, and sleep were noted in response to the prebiotic diet while the probiotic tentatively improved wellbeing, relative to placebo. No benefit was found in response to the synbiotic intervention. All treatments were well tolerated with few adverse events.
Conclusion: A high-prebiotic dietary intervention may improve mood, anxiety, stress, and sleep in adults with moderate psychological distress and low prebiotic intake. A synbiotic combination of high-prebiotic diet and probiotic supplement does not appear to have a beneficial effect on mental health outcomes, though further evidence is required. Results are limited by the relatively small sample size.
Item ID: | 78407 |
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Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
ISSN: | 1662-453X |
Keywords: | clinical trial, diet, gut microbiota, mental health, mood, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics |
Copyright Information: | © 2023 Freijy, Cribb, Oliver, Metri, Opie, Jacka, Hawrelak, Rucklidge, Ng and Sarris. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). |
Funders: | National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) |
Projects and Grants: | NHMRC 1194982 |
Date Deposited: | 16 Oct 2023 23:54 |
FoR Codes: | 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3202 Clinical sciences > 320221 Psychiatry (incl. psychotherapy) @ 50% 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3210 Nutrition and dietetics > 321002 Food properties (incl. characteristics and health benefits) @ 50% |
SEO Codes: | 20 HEALTH > 2001 Clinical health > 200105 Treatment of human diseases and conditions @ 50% 28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280112 Expanding knowledge in the health sciences @ 50% |
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