Effects of a Placebo Probiotic on Gut Health and General Well-being in Individuals With Mild Gastrointestinal Symptoms (PlaCIBO)

December 2, 2024 updated by: Diletta Barbiani, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

A 3-week Randomized Controlled Trial on the Efficacy of a Placebo Probiotic in Rebalancing Gut Health and Fostering Physical and Emotional Well-being in Individuals With Mild Gastrointestinal Symptoms

The present study is aimed at exploring whether positive expectations of receiving a three-week treatment with a probiotic supplement (in fact a placebo) improve symptoms of gastrointestinal distress and promote physical and emotional well-being in healthy individuals with mild gastrointestinal symptoms. At first, a comparison is planned between (1) a classic deceptive placebo manipulation (Deceptive Placebo group, DP), and (2) a control condition (Control group, C), in which no placebo substance will be administered. After the three-week waiting list, the Control group will be invited to take the placebo probiotic pills in an "open-label" fashion (Open Label Placebo, OLP). Specifically, participants will be informed that the pills are inert placebos. An exploratory analysis will help to clarify whether the OLP paradigm leads to significant effects, based on a within-group (C- OLP) and between-group comparison (DP-OLP).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Italy
      • Milan, Italy, 20123
        • Recruiting
        • Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 20 and 65
  • Individuals with mild gastrointestinal symptoms (e.g., digestive issues, acid reflux, constipation) such that normal every-day activities are not severly compromised.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals with a diagnosis of functional gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases).
  • Individuals suffering from neurodegenerative diseases and/or psychiatric conditions
  • Individuals taking probiotic supplementation at the time of enrollment in the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Deceptive Placebo
Other: Placebo probiotic
Three-week consumption of placebo probiotic capsules passed off as being actual probiotics
Other: Control - Open-Label PLacebo
The Control Arm will not be exposed to any intervention for the first three weeks. After this time and for the following three weeks, participants will receive placebo probiotic pills in an open-label fashion: they will be honestly informed that the pills are inert placebos.
Other: Open-Label Placebo probiotic
Participants of the Control group will be switched to this condition after three weeks and receive placebo probiotic capsules for the following three-weeks of no intervention. Specifically, they will be honestly informed that the capsules are inert placebos.
Other: Control-no treatment
For the first three weeks, the Control group will not be exposed to any intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change from Baseline in the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) total score at 3 weeks.
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 weeks
Baseline and 3 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline in the Digestion-Associated Quality Of Life Questionnaire (DQLQ) total score at 3 weeks.
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 weeks
Baseline and 3 weeks
Change from Baseline in Stool Form as assessed by means of the Bristol Stool Scale
Time Frame: Day 2/3 and day 19/20 from Baseline
The Bristol stool scale is a diagnostic medical tool designed to classify the form of human stool into seven categories.
Day 2/3 and day 19/20 from Baseline
Change from Baseline in Fatigue Levels as assessed by means of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) at 3 weeks.
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 weeks
Items are scored 1-5, with 10 [fatigue-]positively phrased items reverse scored (items 2, 5, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19). In the final score, high scores represent more fatigue.
Baseline and 3 weeks
Change from Baseline in Sleepiness Levels as assessed by means of the The Epworth sleepiness scale at 3 weeks.
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 weeks
Final total score ranges from 0 to 24. Scores from 0 to 10 show average (normal) daytime sleepiness. A result from 11 to 24 indicates excessive (abnormal) daytime sleepiness.
Baseline and 3 weeks
Change from Baseline in Positive and Negative affect as assessed by means of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) at 3 weeks.
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 weeks
Baseline and 3 weeks
Change from Baseline in Stress Levels as assessed by means of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) 3 weeks.
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 weeks
The scale comprises of 10 items, with scores ranging from 0 ( = Never) to 4 ( = Very Often). Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low stress. Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate stress. Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived stress.
Baseline and 3 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 20, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 1, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 27, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 2, 2024

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 6, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 6, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 2, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • PlaCIBO_MtBlab

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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