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Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 alleviates stress and anxiety in adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

  • 2019-04-19
  • Beneficial Microbes 10(4)
    • H. Chong
    • Nor Azizi Yusoff
    • Y. Hor
    • L. Lew
    • M. Jaafar
    • S. Choi
    • Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff
    • N. Wahid
    • Mohammad Farris Iman Leong Bin Abdullah
    • Norzila Zakaria
    • Kee-Leong Ong
    • Y. Park
    • M. Liong

Abstract

Probiotics have been reported to exert beneficial effects along the gut-brain axis. This randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled human study aimed to evaluate such properties of Lactobacillus plantarum DR7 and its accompanying mechanisms in stressed adults. One hundred and eleven (n=111; DR7 n=56, placebo n=55) stressed adults were recruited based on moderate stress levels using the PSS-10 questionnaire. The consumption of DR7 (1×109 cfu/day) for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of stress (P=0.024), anxiety (P=0.001), and total psychological scores (P=0.022) as early as 8 weeks among stressed adults compared to the placebo group as assessed by the DASS-42 questionnaire. Plasma cortisol level was reduced among DR7 subjects as compared to the placebo, accompanied by reduced plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interferon-γ and transforming growth factor-α and increased plasma anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 10 (P<0.05). DR7 better improved cognitive and memory functions in normal adults (>30 years old), such as basic attention, emotional cognition, and associate learning (P<0.05), as compared to the placebo and young adults (<30 years old). The administration of DR7 enhanced the serotonin pathway, as observed by lowered expressions of plasma dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase accompanied by increased expressions of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor-6, while stabilising the dopamine pathway as observed via stabilised expressions of TH and DBH over 12 weeks as compared to the placebo (P<0.05). Our results indicated that DR7 fulfil the requirement of a probiotic strain as per recommendation of FAO/WHO and could be applicable as a natural strategy to improve psychological functions, cognitive health and memory in stressed adults.

Keywords: DR7; anxiety; cognition; memory; serotonin; stress.

Research Insights

SupplementHealth OutcomeEffect TypeEffect Size
Lactobacillus plantarumEnhanced Serotonin Pathway FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarumReduced Anxiety SymptomsBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus plantarumReduced Physical Symptoms of StressBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarumReduced Plasma Cortisol LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarumReduced Plasma Proinflammatory CytokinesBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarumStabilized Dopamine Pathway FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7Enhanced Serotonin Pathway FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7Improved Psychological Well-beingBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7Increased Plasma Anti-inflammatory Cytokine LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7Reduced Anxiety SymptomsBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7Reduced Physical Symptoms of StressBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7Reduced Plasma Cortisol LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7Reduced Plasma Proinflammatory CytokinesBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7Stabilized Dopamine Pathway FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum R1012Improved Cognitive FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum R1012Improved Psychological Well-beingBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum R1012Increased Plasma Anti-inflammatory Cytokine LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum R1012Reduced Anxiety LevelsBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus plantarum R1012Reduced Physical Symptoms of StressBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum R1012Reduced Plasma Cortisol LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum R1012Reduced Plasma Proinflammatory CytokinesBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-AEnhanced Serotonin Pathway FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-AImproved Psychological Well-beingBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-AIncreased Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-AReduced Anxiety SymptomsBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-AReduced Physical Symptoms of StressBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-AReduced Plasma Cortisol LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-AReduced Pro-inflammatory Cytokine LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum Rosell-AStabilized Dopamine Pathway FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum VPro 10Enhanced Serotonin Pathway FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum VPro 10Improved Psychological DistressBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum VPro 10Increased Plasma Anti-inflammatory Cytokine LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum VPro 10Reduced Anxiety SymptomsBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus plantarum VPro 10Reduced Physical Symptoms of StressBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum VPro 10Reduced Plasma Cortisol LevelsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum VPro 10Reduced Plasma Proinflammatory CytokinesBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus plantarum VPro 10Stabilized Dopamine Pathway FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
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