Pilot Study to Assess the Effect of a Postbiotic Blend on Moderate Self-reported Anxiety (Anx)

A Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled, Parallel Pilot Study, to Assess the Effect of a Postbiotic Blend on Symptoms of Anxiety in Healthy Adults with Self-reported Mild to Moderate Anxiety

This study evaluates the efficacy of a multistrain postbiotic administered in the form of a capsule in the management of moderate self-reported anxiety in adults aged 18-65

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Postbiotic; Dietary supplement: Placebo

Detailed Description

The subjects will be placebo non-responders from part 1 of the trial, looking at the effect of a multistrain probiotic on anxiety.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Ireland
  • Cork, Ireland
    • Atlantia Food Clinical Trials

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Be able to give written informed consent.
2. Be between 18 to 65 years inclusive.
3. Mild to moderate self-reported anxiety
4. Have a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score <20.
5. Is in general good health, as determined by the investigator.
6. Be willing to maintain stable dietary habits and physical activity levels throughout the study period.
7. Be able to communicate well with the Investigator, to understand and comply with the requirements of the study and be judged suitable for the study in the opinion of the Investigator.
8. Willing to consume the study product daily for the duration of the trial and comply with all trial procedures.
9. Be able to give confirmation of ongoing informed consent from Part 1 of the trial.
10. Has been allocated to the placebo arm of Part I of the trial
11. Has been deemed a "non-responder" in Part I of the trial

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Are less than 18 or greater than 65.
2. Participants who are pregnant or wish to become pregnant during the trial.
3. Participants who are lactating and/or currently breastfeeding
4. Participants currently of childbearing potential, but not using an effective method of contraception, as outlined below:
5. Complete abstinence from intercourse two weeks prior to administration of the study product, throughout the clinical trial, until the completion of follow-up procedures or for two weeks following discontinuation of the study product in cases where Participant discontinues the trial prematurely. (Participants utilising this method must agree to use an alternate method of contraception if they should become sexually active and will be queried on whether they have been abstinent in the preceding 2 weeks when they present to the clinic for the Final Visit).
6. Has a male sexual partner who is surgically sterilised prior to the Screening Visit and is the only male sexual partner for that Participant.
7. Sexual partner(s) is/are exclusively female.
8. Use of acceptable method of contraception, such as a spermicide, mechanical barrier (e.g. male condom, female diaphragm), tubal ligation or contraceptive pill. The Participant must be using this method for at least 1 week prior to and 1 week following the end of the trial.
9. Use of any intrauterine device (IUD) or contraceptive implant. The Participant must have the device inserted at least 2 weeks prior to the first Screening Visit, throughout the trial, and 2 weeks following the end of the trial.
10. Are hypersensitive to any of the components of the study product.
11. Has taken systemic antibiotics within the previous 8 weeks.
12. Has taken probiotics or post-biotics within the previous 8 weeks.
13. Has a current clinical diagnosis of depression - determined in their medical history.
14. Has self-reported or suspected consumption of excess quantities of alcohol or recreational drugs
15. Diagnosed with significant physical comorbidity that, in the investigator's judgment, precludes involvement in the study.
16. Has an acute or chronic illness (e.g., heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, HIV) that, in the Investigators judgment, precludes involvement in the study.
17. Participants who have received cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or psychotherapy in the 8 weeks prior to baseline or plan to start during the period of the study.
18. Participants who have taken anti-depressants or supplements known to impact mood (e.g., valerian, St. John's Wort) in the 8 weeks prior to baseline or planning to start in the study period.
19. Taking dietary supplements or food products that the investigator believes would interfere with the objectives of the study within 8 weeks prior to baseline ;
20. Participants who have taken psychotropics, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, systemic corticosteroids, opioid pain relievers, hypnotics, and/or prescribed sleep medication within 8-weeks of screening.
21. Has a gastrointestinal disease or condition, that by the investigators judgement, could interfere with the intestinal barrier function.
22. Are severely immunocompromised (transplant patient, on antirejection medications, on a steroid for 30 days, or chemotherapy or radiotherapy within the last year; HIV positive participants with undetectable viral loads would be allowed on the trial)
23. Have an active malignant disease or any concomitant end-stage organ disease (in the last 12 months), which, in the Investigator's judgment, contraindicates participation in the study.
24. Any immunosuppressant or chemotherapy medications, including mercaptopurine, azathioprine, or methotrexate;
25. Have had any other condition or are taking a medication that the investigator believes would interfere with the objectives of the study, pose a safety risk, or confound the interpretation of the study results
26. Individuals who, in the opinion of the investigator, are considered to be poor attendees or unlikely for any reason to be able to comply with the trial.
27. Participants may not be receiving treatment involving experimental drugs. If the Participant has been in a recent experimental trial, these must have been completed not less than 8 weeks prior to this trial.
28. Any Participant who is an employee of the study site or an Atlantia Clinical Trials employee or their close family member or a member of their household.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active; Arm receiving investigational product (postbiotic)	Dietary supplement: Postbiotic; multistrain postbiotic in the form of a capsule with a daily dose of 1E+9 Colony Forming Unit (CFU) per day for 6 weeks.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Arm receiving placebo	Dietary supplement: Placebo; Matching placebo in a form of a capsule for 6 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Anxiety rating	Level of anxiety measured with "Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale". (max 56 points) where a lower score means better outcomes compared to baseline.	Day 0, Day 42

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Depression score	Level of depression measured with "Beck's Depression Inventory". (max 63 points) where a lower score means better outcomes compared to baseline.	Day 0, Day 42
Change in trait anxiety	Level of trait anxiety measured with "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory" (max 80 points) where a lower score means better outcomes compared to baseline.	Day 0, Day 42
Change in perceived stress	Level of perceived stress measured with "Cohen's perceived Stress scale" (max 40 points ) where a lower score means better outcomes compared to baseline.	Day 0, Day 42
Change in Stress	Level of stress measured with "Salivary Cortisol awakening response" (ng/dL).	Day 0, Day 42
Change in Sleep Quality	Change in sleep quality measured by "Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index" (max 21 points) where a lower score means better outcomes compared to baseline.	Day 0, Day 42
Change in Gastrotintestinal symptoms	Degree of GI symptoms measured by "GI Symptom Rating Scale" where a lower score means better outcomes compared to baseline.	Day 0, Day 42
Change in Quality of Life evaluation	Change in quality of life score measured by the "SF-36 questionnaire" (max 100 points) where a higher score means better outcomes compared to baseline.	Day 0, Day 42
Change in Depression score	Level of depression measured with "Patient Health Questionnaire 9". (max 27 points) where a lower score means better outcomes compared to baseline.	Day 0, Day 42

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in GI microbiome	Faecal microbiome analysis assessed by metagenomics.	Day 0, Day 42

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
• Collaborators: Atlantia Food Clinical Trials

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 4, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 28, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): February 28, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 28, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 28, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): October 3, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 20, 2025
• Last Verified: January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: probiotic; microbiome; postbiotic
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Anxiety Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: CTB2022TN105P2

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No