Probio’Stick® (LHS proprietary combination of Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell®-52 and Bifidobacterium longum Rosell®-175) is the most documented probiotic for the Brain-Gut Axis, also called Psychobiotics. This unique formula is supported by over 10 mechanistic studies and 5 clinical trials.
In 2018 Kazemi et al. study followed 110 adults suffering from mild to moderate depression and found that Probio’Stick® had contributed to a significant reduction of BDI depression score and an increase in serotonin precursors. Specifically, the Probio’Stick® group had a decrease in blood kynurenine/tryptophan ratio suggesting it was diverting tryptophan towards the synthesis of serotonin (p<0.05).
Appetite is significantly decreased in depressive individuals which is correlated with low levels of leptin (a biomarker for appetite). In this post-hoc analysis, the investigators looked at the participants’ appetite, measured by a visual analog scale (VAS) which assesses satiety, hunger, fullness, and desire (completed before lunch meal every two weeks) and leptin levels. Results show that the probiotic formula increased the desire to eat as well as serum leptin levels vs. placebo, while it had no effect on the weight or BMI. In the third group taking 10g galacto-oligosaccharides, no significant changes were observed in any parameter. The authors concluded that the probiotic formula may have increased appetite and energy intake by improving the depression, leading to increased leptin level as a compensatory mechanism.
For other use than DFS, based on emerging science.