Prebiotics and Stress Reduction in Women

FrieslandCampina124 enrolled

Overview

In modern life, many people state to experience stress. Women compared to men report more and higher levels of stress. Recent research found that supplementation of galactose-oligosaccharides (GOS) resulted in reduced anxiety levels in British female students with higher anxiety scores at baseline in self-reported trait anxiety. Moreover, supplementation of probiotics in germ-free rodents resulted in reduced levels of circulating corticosterone (cortisol in humans). These findings illustrate the potential of prebiotic supplementation, through the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis, to improve mental health and wellbeing. The present study aims to study the effect of oligosaccharides on self-perceived stress.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Enrollment

124

Conditions

Stress, Psychological

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 25 YearsMax age: 45 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Apparently healthy women * Moderate or high stress level; DASS42 stress sub-score ≥19 * Age between 25 and 45 years * Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2 * Access to internet and a smart phone Exclusion Criteria: * Any metabolic, gastrointestinal, inflammatory or chronic disease * History of gastro-intestinal surgery or having (serious) gastrointestinal discomfort * Use of supplement to relief stress during or within 2 weeks prior to the start of the study * Use of pre- and/or probiotics during the study (except for the study product) or within 4 weeks prior to the start of the study * Use of medication that may influence the study results, such as laxatives * Self-reported and/or clinical lactose intolerance * Self-reported and/or active cow's milk protein allergy * Pregnant or lactating (or having the wish to become pregnant during the study period, self-reported) * Having used antibiotics in the 6 months prior to the start of the study

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Perceived stress

The difference in absolute stress sub-score after the product intervention between the product groups (using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-42)), in which a lower score corresponds with a lower stress level

Time frame: 28 days