NCT03427515

Probiotics and Examination-related Stress in Healthy Medical Students

Effect of Supplementation With Saccharomyces Boulardii and Lactobacillus Rhamnosus on Examination-related Stress in Healthy Medical Students: a Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 92 (actual)
• Sponsor: Medical University of Lodz · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 30 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Probiotics are live microorganisms exhibiting multiple properties beneficial to health. An increasing body of evidence indicates that probiotics may support healthy brain function and may relieve stress. Recent research in this area has examined lactic acid bacteria in detail, but little is known about the stress-relieving effects of Saccharomyces, a yeast with probiotic properties. Psychological stress is a factor that allows people to successfully cope with various daily life situations. On the other hand, excessive stress may lead to bodily harm and decrease performance, e.g. academic achievements. Probiotics may help manage stress, but little is known whether probiotics improve performance under stress. The aim of this trial is to examine whether the healthy medical students may demonstrate better performance in academic examinations when supplementing their diet with a yeast probiotic strain Saccharomyces boulardii (CNCM I-1079) or bacterial probiotic strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103). The secondary aim of the trial is to evaluate the potential effects of this supplementation on state anxiety as well as on biochemical and physiological stress markers.

Conditions

• Healthy
• Stress-related Problem
• Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103)	30 days of supplementation, 6x10\^9 CFU/day
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Saccharomyces boulardii (CNCM I-1079)	30 days of supplementation, 5x10\^9 CFU/day
DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT	Placebo	30 days of supplementation

Timeline

• Start date: 2016-04-20
• Primary completion: 2016-06-20
• Completion: 2016-06-20
• First posted: 2018-02-09
• Last updated: 2018-02-09