Beneficial Gut Effect of a Symbiotic-Probiotic Regimen in Healthy Stressed Individuals: Effectiveness on Permeability, Microbiota and Detoxification Parameters

The aim of the present study was to test either a previously studied symbiotic, a novel probiotic mixture or a sequence symbiotic-probiotic schedule in beneficially affecting gut health parameters in otherwise healthy stressed individuals. This was a multicenter randomized study with no gender selection. A total of hundred-twenty individuals aged between 38 and 62 years were recruited for this study. Patients were selected to have an overall positive attitude towards their personal life and work but reporting high-demanding job activity regarded as stressful. Three age and gender-matched groups (40 pts each) were considered: A) given a symbiotic 10 ml t.i.d. for 5 months; B) given 1 tab t.i.d of P3T/J (a probiotic mixture) for 5 months and C) given the symbiotic 10 ml t.i.d. for 1 month and then shifted to 1 tab t.i.d of probiotic mixture for 4 months. A forth group (group D) of 20 healthy, stressed individuals coming from a prior study, supplemented a marine PUFA extract served as treatment control (a sturgeon-based fish collagen, Caviarlieri, Swiss cap packaging, Switzerland). As compared to baseline and all other groups, group C showed a significant decrease of morning salivary cortisol at awakening. When plotting these values against the STAI scores, it appeared a significant correlation (r:0.66, p<0.05). At either 2 and 5 months observation, it appeared that the area under the curve in group B and C was significantly lesser than in all other groups (p<0.05 vs. B and D). Salivary levels of CgA sampled at 1 pm were significantly higher than at baseline in all groups and showed in C group a significant dercrease at 5 months observation. At 2 months observation the zonulin level was significantly decreased by treatment B and C. At 5 months observations, both A and C groups showed a significant further lowering (C>B). Values of serum zonulin showed a wide scattering in all groups and by clustering those individuals, who were engaged in regular moderateintense physical activity, the baseline concentration of zonulin was higher as compared to the rest of the population and it occurred a remarkably lower level of zonulin with C schedule. Fecal parameters in B and C group showed a statistically significant reduction of β-glucuronidase at 2 months (p<0.05) while only group A and C maintained such status also at 5 months observation. As for fecal level of nitroreductase, this was beneficially reduced by B treatment during all the study period. Besides treatment A, also regimen C at 5 months showed a significant reduction of this parameter. Unlike group D, all the other three groups showed a significantly lower level of p-cresol at either 2 or 5 months observation with group C yielding the absolute lowest urinary concentration but only at 2 months. The subgroup in each treatment schedule group showed a significant increase of the Bacteriodetes/Firmicutes ratio which was normalized by B and C treatment. Either A, B and C regimes brought about a significant eubiosis modification of gut flora.