The anxiolytic effect of probiotics: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the clinical and preclinical literature
Reis DJ
Published in PLoS ONE
Methodology
Systematic review and meta-analysis of both preclinical animal studies and human randomized clinical trials of probiotics on anxiety outcomes, pooling standardized mean differences separately for each literature.
Key Findings
Preclinical animal studies showed a consistent anxiolytic effect of probiotics, but pooled human clinical trials showed no significant reduction in anxiety symptoms versus control.
Conclusions
While preclinical (animal) studies suggest that probiotics may help reduce anxiety, such findings have not yet translated to clinical research in humans.
Limitations
Human trials were few, small and heterogeneous in strain, dose and population, often measuring anxiety as a secondary outcome in non-clinical samples.
Supplements Studied
While preclinical (animal) studies suggest that probiotics may help reduce anxiety, such findings have not yet translated to clinical research in humans.
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
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