Effect of Probiotics on Appetite Regulation in Adults With Overweight/Obesity (ProBiSat)

Probiotic Regulation of Food Intake Through Satiety Stimulation and Gut Microbiota Modulation

The goal of this 16-week randomised, placebo-controlled parallel study is to investigate the effect of a newly formed probiotic supplement on satiety and gut microbiota composition in healthy men and women with overweight or obesity form 20-70 years old. The main question it aims to answer is:

Does the probiotic supplement increase feelings of satiety and alter gut microbiota composition?

Participants will:

• Receive a daily dose of 6 g probiotic supplement (packed in sachets of 3 g) or placebo for 16 weeks.
• Visit the research unit 3 times at baseline, week 8 and week 16 of the intervention for blood draws and delivering fecal samples.
• Keep a study diary to report deviations from their daily habits and fill in food questionnaires.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy; Female; Adults; Male; Overweight (BMI > 25); Satiety and Food Intake; Gut Microbiota Modulation; Overweight , Obesity
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Probiotic supplementation; Other: Placebo

Detailed Description

Rationale: Satiety hormones, including glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), are key regulators of food intake. Deficiencies in the release of satiety hormones as well as alterations in the composition and the function of the gut microbiota are hallmarks of overweight and obesity. Probiotics can improve the overall structure of the gut microbiota, and show strain-specific differences with regard to their ability to stimulate satiety hormones. Those animal-based findings, if confirmed in human studies, may pose a gateway for decreased food intake, weight management, and ultimately weight loss. The investigators hypothesise that a newly developed combination of probiotic strains, specifically selected for their potential to (in vitro) influence pathways related to weight management, will decrease food intake through increased release of satiety hormones (i.e. GLP-1) and beneficial alteration of the gut microbiota in humans.

Objective: The primary objective of the study is to investigate the effects of a combination of specifically selected probiotic strains in a new probiotic formulation on ad libitum food intake, in individuals with overweight and/or obesity. The investigators will address this objective firstly with an acute study followed by a proof-of-concept 4-months intervention study comparing a total of 98 individuals in a 16-week randomised, placebo-controlled parallel study (49 participants probiotic/ 49 participants placebo).

Study design: This intervention study will have a randomised, controlled parallel design. The total study duration will be 16 weeks.

Study population: A total of 98 men and women between the ages of 20-70 years old, with overweight/obesity (BMI: 26-40 kg/m2) will be recruited, accounting for a drop-out rate of 20%.

Intervention: Study participants will receive a daily dose of 6 g probiotic supplement (packed in sachets of 3 g) or placebo for 16 weeks.

Main study parameters/endpoints: At baseline and after 16 weeks, participants will visit the research facilities for assessments. The primary endpoint is the difference in satiety measured by ad libitum food intake comparing the probiotic and control intervention. Secondary outcome parameters are related to changes in satiety hormones (including GLP-1), fecal microbiota analysis, insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR), inflammatory markers and lipid metabolism.

Exploratory outcomes concern perceived satiety, body composition and mental health. This study will provide insight into the potential beneficial effect of a newly composed probiotic supplement on satiety in overweight/obese adults.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 98
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Tanja Adam, PhD; Phone Number: +31433882123; Email: t.adam@maastrichtuniversity.nl
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Iris Boelen, MSc; Phone Number: +31433883644; Email: iris.boelen@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Study Locations

• Netherlands
  • Limburg
    • Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands, 6200MD
      • Recruiting
      • Maastricht University, Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences
      • Principal Investigator: Tanja Adam, PhD
      • Contact: Tanja Adam, PhD; Phone Number: +31433882123; Email: t.adam@maastrichtuniversity.nl
      • Contact: Iris Boelen, MSc; Phone Number: +31 (0)433883644; Email: iris.boelen@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men and women, aged between 20-70 years
• BMI ³ 25 kg/m2
• Stable body weight (weight gain or loss < 3 kg in the past three months)
• Willingness to give up being a blood donor from 8 weeks before the start of the study, during the study and for 4 weeks after completion of the study
• No difficult venipuncture as evidenced during the screening visit

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diabetic patients (type 1 and type 2)
• Abuse of drugs
• More than 2 units alcoholic consumptions per day for women and 3 for men
• Use of products or dietary supplements known to interfere with the main outcomes 3 months prior to the start of the study as judged by the principal investigators
• Gastrointestinal disease (including IBD and IBS)
• Use of an investigational product within another biomedical intervention trial within the previous 1-month
• Severe medical conditions that might interfere with the study, such as epilepsy, asthma, kidney failure or renal insufficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, autoimmune disease and rheumatoid arthritis
• Active cardiovascular disease like congestive heart failure or cardiovascular event, such as an acute myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident
• use of lipid- and glucose lowering medication, corticosteroid use
• Psychiatric diagnoses including clinical depression
• Intolerances or dietary habits that might interfere with the study (i.e. lactose intolerance or veganism)
• pregnancy
• smoking, vaping
• use of antibiotics up to 3 months prior to the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Probiotic supplement; 6g of probiotic supplement daily	Dietary supplement: Probiotic supplementation; 16-week consumption of 6 g/day of probiotic supplement
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; 6g of placebo daily	Other: Placebo; 16-week consumption of 6 g/day of placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ad libitum food intake	The primary objective of the study is to investigate the effects of a combination of specifically selected probiotic strains in a new probiotic formulation on ad libitum food intake, in individuals with overweight and/or obesity. The primary endpoint is the difference in satiety measured by ad libitum food intake comparing the probiotic and control intervention.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Satiety hormones	Satiety hormones, GLP-1, PYY, and ghrelin, will be measured in the blood by taking fasted and postprandial blood samples at multiple timepoints.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Subjective Appetite Sensation	Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) will be used to register different aspects of appetite, thirst, and well-being during the test days. The questions concern hunger, satiety, fullness, thirst, prospective food consumption, and desire to eat. Using a validated, 100-mm line, participants place a mark on the line between anchors like "not at all" (0 mm) and "extremely" (100 mm). Appetite sensation will be assessed at 30-minute intervals starting at time -30 until the ad libitum lunch for a total of 240 minutes.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Fecal microbial composition	Stool samples will be collected at home and immediately stored in the freezer at -20°C. Participants will bring the stool sample to the laboratory, while preserving the cold chain, where samples will be kept in a -80°C freezer until further analysis. We will profile the gut microbiota composition at baseline and after treatment using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing techniques. Sequencing data will be processed using our validated in-house Bio-IT pipeline and microbial richness, diversity, community structure and taxonomic composition will be linked to the probiotic intervention as well as treatment outcomes.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Diet	Participants will be instructed to continue their usual dietary pattern throughout the intervention period to study the isolated effect of probiotic supplementation. Before, at week 8 and in the last week of the intervention period, participants' dietary pattern will be assessed by means of a FFQ.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Physical Activity	Participants will be instructed to continue their usual physical activity pattern throughout the intervention period to study the isolated effect of probiotic supplementation. Before, at week 8 and in the last week of the intervention period, participants' physical acitivity pattern will be assessed by means of the SQUASH questionnaire.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Insulin resistance	Fasted blood samples for glucose and insulin will be taken to determine the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and beta-cell function.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Blood pressure	Office BP (SBP and DBP) will be determined in four-fold (the first measurement will be discarded, and the last three measurements will be averaged) using a semi continuous blood pressure monitoring device (Omron M7, CEMEX Medische Techniek, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands).	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Heart rate	Heart rate (HR) will be determined in four-fold (the first measurement will be discarded, and the last three measurements will be averaged) using a semi continuous blood pressure monitoring device (Omron M7, CEMEX Medische Techniek, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands).	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Lipids	Fasting and postprandial serum triacylglycerol (TAG) and total cholesterol (TC) and HDL-C concentrations will be measured.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Inflammatory markers	Plasma markers related to systemic inflammation will be measured in the blood to assess low-grade systemic inflammatory responses.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Body Composition	Measurement of body composition is done by BodPod in a fasted state.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Anthropometric measurements - Body weight	Body weight will be measured in kilograms before the measurements without shoes and heavy clothing.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Anthropometric measurements - length	Length will be measured in centimeters before the measurements without shoes and heavy clothing.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Anthropometric measurements - waist and hip circumferences	Waist and hip circumferences will be measured in centimeters before the measurements using a SECA tape measure	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Mental health	Mental health will be assessed using the validated Beck Depression and State-Trait Anxiety Inventories	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Mood	Mood will be tested using the widely-applied Profile of Mood States	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Stress	Stress will be assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Sleep characteristics	Sleep characteristics will be assessed at the end of the interventions using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Cognitive restrained	Cognitive restrained, disinhibition and hunger will be assessed using the Dutch three factor eating questionnaire	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention
Disinhibition	Cognitive restrained, disinhibition and hunger will be assessed using the Dutch three factor eating questionnaire	From enrolment tot he end of the 16-week intervention
Hunger	Cognitive restrained, disinhibition and hunger will be assessed using the Dutch three factor eating questionnaire	From enrolment tot he end of the 16-week intervention
Quality of life assessment	The quality of life will be assessed at the end of the interventions using a 32-item questionnaire. This measure will quantify quality of life on different dimensions: social, spiritual, emotional, cognitive, physical, activities of daily living, and integrated quality of life.	From enrolment to the end of the 16-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Maastricht University Medical Center
• Collaborators: Winclove Probiotics B.V.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 18, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 18, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 18, 2029

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 5, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 16, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 21, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 21, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 16, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Obesity; Adults; Overweight; Probiotics; Healthy; Gut microbiota; Satiety; Food intake; Gut microbiota composition; Gut microbiota modulation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nutrition Disorders; Overnutrition; Body Weight; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Overweight; Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: METC 25-042

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

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