Probiotics Added to MS Therapy Cut Fatigue and Inflammation in Clinical Trial
Adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who added commercial probiotic yogurt and yeast tablets to their disease-modifying therapies experienced significant reductions in fatigue, depression, and disability over three months, according to data published in The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery. The open-label clinical trial, registered under the identifier NCT07346924, tracked 60 stable patients to determine whether gut microbiome interventions could influence autoimmune symptoms.
Inflammatory Biomarkers Shift Alongside Clinical Improvements
Participants assigned to the probiotic intervention consumed two cups of commercial yogurt daily containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus bacterial strains, alongside a daily tablet of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. Compared with control participants who maintained standard treatment alone, the probiotic group showed a marked decline in the pro-inflammatory molecule interleukin-6 (IL-6) and an elevation in the anti-inflammatory molecule interleukin-10 (IL-10). Researchers noted that higher IL-6 levels at the three-month mark correlated with greater fatigue, accounting statistically for roughly 15% of the variation in patient fatigue scores.
Quality of Life and Symptom Scores Across Domains
Total fatigue scores dropped significantly among participants receiving the probiotic regimen, while remaining essentially unchanged in the control cohort. Improvements spanned the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial components of fatigue. Disability scores and depression measures also decreased significantly in the intervention group. Quality of life improved across every evaluated domain, including physical and social functioning, general health, vitality, mental health, bodily pain, and the degree to which physical and emotional issues interfere with daily activities.
Open-Label Design Limits Probiotic Yogurt Study Results
All 60 participants completed the trial without reporting serious or treatment-related adverse events. However, the study design carried distinct limitations, including an open-label format where researchers and participants knew who received the intervention, alongside the lack of a placebo control group. Because the treatment combined probiotic yogurt with yeast, investigators could not isolate the individual contribution of each component. The trial also did not measure the composition or function of the gut microbiome, meaning it cannot confirm whether the treatment altered gut microbes or if microbiome changes drove the clinical results. The authors emphasized that the findings remain preliminary and require confirmation through additional trials.
Frequently Asked Questions About Probiotics in Multiple Sclerosis Trials
What specific probiotic strains were used in the clinical trial?
Participants consumed commercial yogurt containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains, supplemented by a daily tablet of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
How long did the probiotic intervention last for trial participants?
The clinical trial ran for a duration of three months, during which participants added the probiotics to their existing disease-modifying therapies.
How many patients participated in this research?
The open-label study evaluated 60 adult patients who had remained clinically stable for the previous year.
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