Effect of prebiotic and probiotic supplementation on circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and urinary cortisol levels in patients with major depressive disorder: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial
Abstract
Abstract The aim of this double blind, placebo-control trial, was to investigate the effect of prebiotic and probiotic on serum inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score and urinary cortisol in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Randomized participants (n = 110) received either the probiotic, prebiotic or placebo for 8 weeks. Eighty-one subjects completed the trial. The BDI score decreased significantly in the probiotic-treated vs control group. For all cytokines, levels were similar between groups. Cortisol levels decreased by 20% and 19% of baseline in the probiotic and prebiotic groups, respectively, and remained unchanged in the placebo group. Overall, although probiotics improved depression symptoms, serum inflammatory marker levels were not. Prebiotics had no effect on depression symptoms nor inflammatory marker levels. While changes in urinary cortisol levels were not statistically significant among groups, the decreases in the probiotic and prebiotic groups are considered clinically significant.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 110 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Cortisol, obesity and the metabolic syndrome: A cross-sectional study of obese subjects and review of the literature
- Relationships between lead biomarkers and diurnal salivary cortisol indices in pregnant women from Mexico City: a cross-sectional study
- Pubertal Recalibration of Cortisol Reactivity Following Early Life Stress: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
- High-end normal adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels are associated with specific cardiovascular risk factors in pediatric obesity: a cross-sectional study
- Effects of remote virtual work environment during COVID-19 pandemic on technostress among Menoufia University Staff, Egypt: a cross-sectional study
- Low serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, and body mass are risk factors for frailty in elderly people with diabetes–a cross-sectional study
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.