Gastrointestinal Motility and Disorders · Journal article

Safety and Efficacy of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05, Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR08 and Lactobacillus crispatus LCr86 on Hormone Metabolism, Body Composition, and Emotional Regulation in Overweight Women: A Randomized, Double - Blind, Placebo - Controlled Trial

Journal of Applied Microbiology · September 11, 2026

Promising Why this matters to you Expert discussion

Encouraging direction, but not yet definitive.

AI Summary

This 12-week RCT in 102 obese women found that a three-strain probiotic formulation produced statistically significant improvements in multiple hormonal markers (prolactin, ACTH, leptin, GLP-1, peptide YY), anthropometric measures (weight, BMI, waist/hip circumference, body fat), anxiety/depression scores, and gut microbiota composition compared to placebo. The breadth of endpoints showing p < 0.05 suggests a genuine biological effect, but the mechanism remains incompletely characterized and longer-term clinical benefit is unknown.

What was studied

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Obese women; specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, age range, baseline BMI, and comorbidities not detailed. Intervention: Daily multi-strain probiotic containing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05, Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR08, and Lactobacillus crispatus LCr86 for 12 weeks. Compared with: Placebo for 12 weeks. n = 102.

Key findings

Prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leptin decreased in probiotic group vs placebo (p < 0.05) Glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY increased in probiotic group vs placebo (p < 0.05) Body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference, and body fat percentage declined significantly (p < 0.05)

Safety

Safety was not reported in the material analysed. Check the source before drawing any conclusion about harm.

Who this may help

If confirmed, these results suggest multi-strain probiotics may offer a low-risk adjunct for weight management and mood regulation in obesity. However, practitioners should await longer-term follow-up and independent replication before incorporating this into routine care, and should note that effect sizes and clinical meaningfulness of weight and mood changes are not quantified in the abstract.

Plain-language summary

A well-designed double-blind RCT with adequate sample size (n=102) reporting improvements in body composition, hormonal markers, and emotional regulation in obese women; results are clinically plausible but require confirmation in independent cohorts and longer follow-up.

Study design

As stated by the source record.

Methods102 obese women were randomized to receive daily probiotics (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05, Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR08, and Lactobacillus crispatus LCr86) or placebo for 12 weeks. Hormones, anthropometric measures, psychological scores, and gut microbiota were measured at baseline and endpoint. No details on randomization method, allocation concealment, blinding verification, or analysis approach (e.g., intention-to-treat) are provided in the abstract.

DesignRandomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

PopulationObese women; specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, age range, baseline BMI, and comorbidities not detailed

Sample size102

InterventionDaily multi-strain probiotic containing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05, Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR08, and Lactobacillus crispatus LCr86 for 12 weeks

ComparatorPlacebo for 12 weeks

Reported figures

Quoted from the source exactly as published.

Sample size102

Intervention duration12 weeks

Hormonal endpoints (prolactin, ACTH, leptin, GLP-1, peptide YY)p < 0.05

Body composition endpoints (weight, BMI, waist/hip circumference, body fat)p < 0.05

Anxiety and depression scoresp < 0.001

Gut microbiota (Faecalibacterium, Collinsella)p < 0.05

Clinical bottom line

Caveats

No absolute effect sizes, mean changes, or confidence intervals reported for any endpoint
Per-group sample sizes and dropout rates not stated
Generalizability unclear: participant age, ethnicity, baseline BMI threshold, and geographic setting not reported
No long-term follow-up data beyond 12 weeks; durability and sustainability of effects unknown

Evidence assessment

Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.

Study design

strong

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design with registered trial identifier

Directness

moderate

Examines obese women but uses surrogate endpoints (hormones, microbiota) and psychological scales rather than hard clinical outcomes

Consistency

insufficient

Single trial; no prior independent replication reported in abstract

Risk of bias

moderate

Blinding and randomization stated but no allocation concealment, intention-to-treat analysis, or dropout data reported

Sample adequacy

moderate

102 participants enrolled; power calculation and per-group allocation not stated in abstract

Source abstract

Abstract Background Female obesity is linked to dysfunction of the endocrine-metabolic-gut-brain axis. Probiotics may offer therapeutic benefits, but robust evidence is limited. Aim To investigate the effects of a 12-week multi-strain probiotic intervention on endocrine, metabolic, psychological parameters, and gut microbiota in obese women. Methods In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 102 obese women received daily probiotics (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05, Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR08 and Lactobacillus crispatus LCr86) or placebo for 12 weeks. Hormones, anthropometric measures, psychological scores, and gut microbiota were assessed at baseline and endpoint. Results Probiotics selectively modulated the endocrine-metabolic axis. Compared to placebo, prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leptin decreased, while glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY increased (p < 0.05). Body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference, and body fat percentage declined significantly (p < 0.05). Anxiety and depression scores improved markedly (p < 0.001). Gut microbiota showed increased Faecalibacterium and decreased Collinsella abundance (p < 0.05). Conclusion A 12-week multi-strain probiotic intervention was associated with improvements in body composition and emotional status, as well as favorable changes in appetite- and stress-related hormonal profiles and gut microbial composition in women with obesity. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT07013409 (ClinicalTrials.gov)

Follow from this

Taken from the source record, never inferred. Follow any of these and new work involving them reaches your briefing.

Qiaofen ChengYinhua LiuShanni WangChengsheng ZhuZhiying WangGastrointestinal Motility and DisordersLingxin Yin