Effect of Coordinated Probiotic/Prebiotic/Phytobiotic Supplementation on Microbiome Balance and Psychological Mood State in Healthy Stressed Adults

摘要

Background: Interest in and knowledge of the gut microbiome has increased exponentially in the past decade. This once overlooked component of the gastrointestinal tract is now implicated in multiple aspects of human health, including mental (e.g. depression, anxiety, stress), metabolic (e.g. diabetes/obesity), neurological (e.g. Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Autism Spectrum Disorder), gastrointestinal (e.g. irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s), and immunological (e.g. inflammation, cancer) wellness, among others. Previous research has demonstrated the “strain specificity” of probiotic therapy (e.g. Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 for serotonin/depression; Bifidobacterium longum R0175 for GABA/anxiety; Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011 for cortisol/stress). Similarly, probiotic bacteria demonstrate different growth trajectories based on availability of preferred fiber substrates (e.g. prebiotics) and phytonutrients such as flavonoids/polyphenols (e.g. phytobiotics). Thus, our objective was two-fold: to determine the change in microbiome ecology/balance and to evaluate the psychological mood state following a coordinated pro-/pre-/phyto-biotic supplementation regimen.