Effect of prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics on depression: results from a meta-analysis.

Qin Zhang, Bing Chen, Jinghui Zhang, Jingyi Dong, Jianglin Ma, Yuyan Zhang, Kangyu Jin, Jing Lu

Journal: BMC psychiatry 2023;23(1):477

PMID: 37386630

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Plain Language Summary

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder that impairs psychosocial function and quality of life. Recent studies show that prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics reveal a novel way to treat psychiatric disorders such as depression through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics in alleviating depressive symptoms. This study was a meta-analysis of thirteen studies with a total of 786 participants who were allocated to the intervention group (n=427) and the placebo group (n=359). Results showed that the overall effects of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics on depressive symptoms were significantly superior to those of placebo. Additionally, biological sex was a vital factor that influenced patients’ responses to the treatment. Authors concluded that agents that manipulate gut microbiota might become a novel approach to treat patients with mild-to-moderate depression.

Abstract

Accumulating studies have shown the effects of gut microbiota management tools in improving depression. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics on patients with depression. We searched six databases up to July 2022. In total, 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 786 participants were included. The overall results demonstrated that patients who received prebiotics, probiotics or synbiotics had significantly improved symptoms of depression compared with those in the placebo group. However, subgroup analysis only confirmed the significant antidepressant effects of agents that contained probiotics. In addition, patients with mild or moderate depression could both benefit from the treatment. Studies with a lower proportion of females reported stronger effects for alleviating depressive symptoms. In conclusion, agents that manipulate gut microbiota might improve mild-to-moderate depression. It is necessary to further investigate the benefits of prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic treatments relative to antidepressants and follow up with individuals over a longer time before these therapies are implemented in clinical practice.

Address: First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; School of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.; Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.; School of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China. [email protected].; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. [email protected].; Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China. [email protected].; Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. [email protected].

DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04963-x