Menopausal Symptoms Probiotic Study

Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of the Combination of Levilactobacillus Brevis KABP-052, Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum KABP-051 and Pediococcus Acidilactici KABP-021 on Menopausal Symptoms and Quality of Life in Peri- and Post-menopausal Women

In this study, we want to investigate if the active product consisting of a probiotic blend can potentiate the recirculation of active oestrogens into the bloodstream and help to mitigate menopause symptoms, which are closely related to oestrogens levels

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Menopause
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Placebo; Dietary supplement: Gyntima Menopause

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 140
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: David Cogan; Phone Number: 0141 946 7888; Email: david.cogan@futuremeds.com
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Kristen Laing, MBChB; Phone Number: 0141 946 7888; Email: kristen.laing@futuremeds.com

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Glasgow
    • Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom, G20 7BE
      • Recruiting
      • FutureMeds Glasgow
      • Contact: Karen Hopkins, MBChB; Phone Number: 0141 946 7888; Email: karen.hopkins@futuremeds.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Perimenopausal or post-menopausal women with spontaneous menopause and amenorrhoea for less than 2 years
• Self reported menopausal symptoms (5 or more hot flashes/night sweats per day or 35 or more per week recorded daily for 14 consecutive days)
• BMI between 18.5 and 34.9 kg/m2
• Menopause rating score II (MRS-II) total score of 9 or more at baseline visit
• Willing to sign Informed Consent Form
• Willing to not make relevant changes to their current dietary or lifestyle habits during study
• Able to follow study procedures
• If perimenopausal, agrees to use an accepted method of contraception for duration of study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of hysterectomy, oophorectomy, endometrial hyperplasia, uterine or endometrial cancer, breast cancer, or cancers associated with sex hormones
• Use of hormonal replacement therapy, hormone analogues, or oral contraceptives within 3 months prior to the start of the study
• Intake of herbal or food supplements with known effects on menopause symptoms within 1 month prior to the start of the study. Examples of prohibited substances are black cohosh, melatonin, ginseng, chasteberry, phytoestrogens (e.g., hop [Humulus lupulus L.], soy isoflavones, red clover) within 1 month prior to the start of the study
• Use of any food supplement containing probiotics or postbiotics or regular consumption (>3 days/week) of foods containing probiotics (including yogurt with added probiotics or bifidus effect) within 1 month prior to the start of the study
• Use of oral (>3 days) or parenteral antibiotics within 1 month prior to the start of the study
• Participants with a new diagnosis of mental health disorder in the last 12 months or with an unstable or uncontrolled mental health disorder in the opinion of the Investigator
• Diagnosis of type 1 or uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Diagnosis of chronic gastrointestinal disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis), pancreatitis, or short bowel syndrome
• History of thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism) which are untreated or unstable
• History of gastrointestinal surgery 6 months prior to the start of the study, with the exception of appendicectomy
• Regular intake (>3 days/week) of medication that affects microbiota or bowel movements, namely laxatives like polyethylene glycol or stimulant laxatives (bisacodyl, sennosides, sodium pyrosulfate)
• History of coronary disease, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or previous coronary angioplasty
• History of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or known to be high risk for VTE due to inherited or acquired thrombophilia (such as factor V Leiden, antiphospholipid syndrome)
• History of stroke or transient ischaemic attack
• History of severe renal dysfunction as defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/minute or severe liver dysfunction defined as established cirrhosis or active liver disease with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >3 × upper limit of normal at baseline
• Initiated for new diagnosis or changed dose of UK-approved therapeutic medication or nutraceuticals for a medical condition that can affect study outcomes according to the Investigator's judgement (i.e., statins, anti-hypertensives, etc.) within 90 days prior to study entry
• Diagnosis of primary or secondary immunodeficiency including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, immunodeficiency, or active oncologic disease
• Known or suspected alcohol or drug abuse
• Any other surgical or medical condition, which in the opinion of the Investigator, may place the participant at higher risk from her participation in the study, or is likely to prevent the participant from complying with the requirements of the study or completing the study
• Currently participating in another study or having participated in one within 3 months prior to the start of the study
• The participant is pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Gyntima Menopause; Study treatment	Dietary supplement: Gyntima Menopause; Combination of Levilactobacillus brevis KABP-052, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP-051 and Pediococcus acidilactici KABP-021
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Placebo comparator arm	Other: Placebo; Placebo comparator

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assess Impact	To assess the impact of the investigational product on the symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in menopausal women as assessed by Menopause Rating Score II (MRS-II) Each of the 11 symptoms contained in the scale can get 0 (no complaints) or up to 4 scoring points (severe symptoms) depending on the severity of the complaints perceived by the women completing the scale (an appropriate box is to be ticked). The score increases point by point with increasing severity of subjectively perceived symptoms in each of the 11 items.	120 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Impact on Severity of Symptoms	To assess the impact of the investigational product on the severity of symptoms as assessed by MRS-II Each of the 11 symptoms contained in the scale can get 0 (no complaints) or up to 4 scoring points (severe symptoms) depending on the severity of the complaints perceived by the women completing the scale (an appropriate box is to be ticked). The score increases point by point with increasing severity of subjectively perceived symptoms in each of the 11 items.	120 days
Impact on number of Hot Flashes / Night Sweats	To assess the impact of the investigational product on the number of hot flashes and night sweats. All study participants will receive a diary where they will report their daily number of hot flashes and night sweats.	120 days
Impact on Intensity of Hot Flashes / Night Sweats	To assess the impact of the investigational product on the intensity of hot flashes and night sweats All study participants will receive a diary where they will report their daily number of hot flashes and night sweats.	120 days
Impact on QoL	To assess the impact of the investigational product on menopause-related QoL as assessed by the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS) questionnaire The Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS) is a standard list of 21 questions which women use to rate how much they are bothered by menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty sleeping. Each symptom is rated on a 4-point Likert scale from 0 points (not at all) to 3 points (Extremely)	120 days
Impact on Depression, Anxiety and Stress	To assess the impact of the investigational product on Depress, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) This scale form is a short form of the 42 item self reported questionnaire measuring depression, anxiety and stress. The 21 items on this questionnaire comprise a set of 3 self-reported scales designed to assess DASS. The 7 elements on the scales are graded on a Likert scale from 0 to 3.	120 days
Impact on levels of reproductive hormones	To assess the impact of the investigational product on levels of relevant reproductive hormones during peri- and post-menopause Efficacy laboratory tests are to be performed for all participants as indicated in the protocol's SoA. For Hormones - Oestrone, Oestradiol, FSH and progesterone.	120 days
Impact on serum inflammation markers	To assess the impact of the investigational product on serum inflammation markers Efficacy laboratory tests are to be performed for all participants, as indicated in the protocol's SoA. For Biomarkers - Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon). Note: Analysis of inflammation biomarkers will only be performed at the Sponsor's discretion after the results of hot flashes and QoL become available.	120 days
Impact on gut microbiota composition	To assess the impact of the investigational product on gut microbiota composition The determination of the composition of the faecal microbiota will be carried out through a study of the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial ribosomal 16S rRNA gene. Next, the libraries will be set up, and ultrasequencing, bioinformatics and statistical analysis will be carried out. The analysis will be performed in a specialised company called Microomics Systems S.L. located in Barcelona, Spain. Stool samples will be collected by study participants	120 days
Impact on digestive tolerance	To assess the impact of the investigational product on digestive tolerance. This will be assessedbased on documented gastrointestinal symptoms on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS)	120 days
Safety of the IP	To assess the safety of the investigational product Safety evaluation based on AE registry, Blood cell count and basic blood biochemistry	120 days
Satisfaction of Use	To assess the satisfaction with the use of the investigational product Product satisfaction will be evaluated by using an ordinal 5-point Likert scale, where study participants will have to rate the degree to which they agree or disagree with the statement: "Please indicate the degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the way the study product has relieved your symptoms associated to menopause"	120 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Community Pharmacology Services Ltd
• Collaborators: Kaneka Americas Holding Inc.
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Kristen Laing, MBChB, Community Pharmacology Services Ltd

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 10, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 25, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 25, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 17, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 31, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): June 6, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 26, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 23, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: menopause; menopausal symptoms; hot flashes; night sweats; menopause treatment
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Hot Flashes
• Other Study ID Numbers: KNK-DONACARE

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: No data will be shared

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No