Adolescent Probiotics in Stressed Adolescents

Study Summary

Stress is a normal human reaction to changes surrounding our reality, resulting in physical, emotional, and intellectual responses. Children and adolescents often experience high levels of stress. Age and gender may affect a child's ability to manage stress. Children and adolescents experiencing stress could be at an increased risk of poor cognitive, social, and emotional functioning. Probiotics are living microorganisms that could positively affect microbiota, support functions of numerous organs and systems, and overall human health. Most probiotics belong to the Lactobacillus genus. Probiotics can potentially support mental health, psychological function, and immune defenses. The purpose of this exploratory clinical trial is to investigate whether supplementation of the diets of adolescents experiencing moderate stress with the probiotic dietary supplement a blend of two probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum and one Lactobacillus brevis strains will support their emotions (e.g., psychological well-being, social relationship, stress levels, and self-efficacy), cognitive (e.g., attention, episodic and working memory) and immune functions (e.g., salivary IgA and salivary cytokine productions). This study is intended only to evaluate the dietary supplement's effect on the body's structure or function. Our investigation is not intended to mitigate, cure, treat, or prevent disease.

Primary Outcome

The NIH Toolbox was used to assess participants' emotional and cognitive functions. The Emotion Domain consisted of instruments evaluating psychological well-being, social relationships, stress, self-efficacy, and negative affect. Additionally, PROMIS CAT Emotional Support, Psychological Stress Experiences, and Sleep Disturbance tests were administered. The Cognition Domain test consisted of attention, episodic and working memories, language, and processing speed.

Interventions

• DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT placebo
• DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT Probiotics