Data from the randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial found that one day of supplementation with Winclove Probiotics’ Ecologic Barrier multi-strain probiotic supplement led to faster reaction times on cognitively demanding trials.
Eight weeks of supplementation with the product led to improvements in a range of stress and depression measures, including hopelessness, rumination and aggression, reported scientists from the University of Reading and Winclove Probiotics.
“Chronic multi-species probiotic supplementation may improve executive function under higher levels of cognitive demand in healthy older adults, in addition to reducing cognitive biases associated with cognitive reactivity to sad mood and therefore vulnerability to depression,” they wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “As such, there may be a clinical application for the present multi-species formula for the prevention of depression in older adults.”
Microbiota-gut-brain axis
The study adds to the ever-growing body of science supporting the role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis for cognitive function. This axis is a bidirectional interaction between the GI tract and the nervous system and implicates the ability of specific strains to produce key neurotransmitters like GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), serotonin and dopamine.
Consumer awareness of the axis is growing, with a 2021 survey by FMCG Gurus revealing that 45% of consumers associated probiotics with cognitive health.
Additional market data from Future Market Insights indicates that the market for probiotic supplements supporting mental health and wellness (“psychobiotics”) is predicted to grow by 44% over the next 10 years, from $140 million in 2023 to $202 million in 2033.
Study details
The new study used Winclove’s Ecologic Barrier product with nine probiotic strains: B. lactis W51, B. lactis W52, L. acidophilus W37, L. salivarius W24, L. casei W56, B. bifidum W23, L. brevis W63, L. lactis W19 and L. lactis W58. The daily dose delivered five billion colony forming units (CFU).
Thirty healthy older adults ages 65 to 80 were recruited to participate in the clinical trial and were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or probiotic for eight weeks. This was followed by a four week washout period before participants crossed over to the other intervention group.
The researchers reported as a novel result that acute probiotic supplementation (one day) resulted in significantly faster reaction times in tests of executive function, compared to placebo.
“Improving [reaction time], particularly during executive function, may have clinical benefits for older adult populations such as reducing the incidence of falls, and improvements comparable to those evidenced in the present study have been shown to improve driving performance and reduce the risk of driving related accidents,” the researchers wrote.
Data from the chronic (eight week) supplementation stage showed that the probiotics were associated with improvements in a range of measures linked to sad mood and vulnerability to depression.
Analysis of the microbiome showed that Lactococcus levels significantly increased, which may reflect the Lactococcus present in the product, said the researchers, or may suggest that the probiotic interacted with the gut microbiota to support Lactococcus growth.
“Lactococcus is typically low in relative abundance and yet is proposed to play a significant role in host immunity through enhanced response to pathogenic bacteria, inhibition of inflammatory cytokines and stimulation of gut mucosal immunity,” they wrote. “As such, supporting the abundance of Lactococcus may in turn have a neuroprotective effect in older adults.”
Given the novelty of the findings on the impact of acute probiotic supplementation on reaction times, the researchers called for future studies to confirm these results and explore potential mechanisms for the effect.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.04.002. “Exploring the acute and chronic effects of a multi-strain probiotic supplement on cognitive function and mood in healthy older adults: A randomised controlled trial”. Authors: J. Eastwood et al.