Abstract
BackgroundBacterial probiotics are thought to exert a serotonergic effect relevant to their potential antidepressant and pro-cognitive action, but yeast probiotics have not been tested. The aim of the present study was to determine whether 30-day supplementation with Saccharomyces boulardii affects the level of salivary serotonin under psychological stress and identify the factors associated with it.MethodsHealthy medical students were randomized to ingest Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-1079 or placebo before a stressful event. Salivary serotonin concentration was assessed before and at the end of supplementation. Moreover, obtained results were compared to psychological, biochemical, physiological and sociodemographic study participants data.ResultsData of thirty-two participants (22.8 ± 1.7 years of age, 16 males) was available for the main analysis. Supplementation with Saccharomyces boulardii decreased salivary serotonin concentration under psychological stress by 3.13 (95% CI 0.20 to 6.07) ng/mL, p = 0.037, as compared to placebo. Salivary serotonin was positively correlated with salivary metanephrine (β = 0.27, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.52, p = 0.031) and pulse rate (β = 0.28, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.50, p = 0.018), but insignificantly with anxiety, depression, eating attitudes and information retrieval.Conclusions Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-1079 may be distinct from bacterial probiotics in its salivary serotonergic effect, which appears positively linked to symapathoadrenal markers. The study requires cautious interpretation, and further investigation.
Highlights
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a ubiquitous monoamine hormone and neurotransmitter that plays a role in numerous biological processes
The primary aim of the present study was to assess whether healthy volunteers under psychological stress demonstrate alterations in salivary 5-HT concentration when receiving a yeast probiotic, Sb strain CNCM I-1079, for 30 days as a dietary supplement, in comparison to placebo
The tested products were administered for 30 days to three groups of randomly allocated healthy medical students. They underwent a stressful event modeled by an academic examination [the presence of psychological stress accompanying this event was manifested by increased salivary cortisol level and resting pulse rate, and enhanced state of anxiety [35]]
Summary
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a ubiquitous monoamine hormone and neurotransmitter that plays a role in numerous biological processes. It is synthesized from an essential amino acid, tryptophan (Trp), and degraded to 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) for removal in the urine [1, 2]. Little 5-HT is synthesized and found in the central nervous system (CNS), it modulates virtually all behavioral and neuropsychological processes including, but not limited to, mood, cognition, perception, reward, anger, aggression, appetite, sexuality, sleep, and attention [1, 2, 6,7,8]. The aim of the present study was to determine whether 30-day supplementation with Saccharomyces boulardii affects the level of salivary serotonin under psychological stress and identify the factors associated with it
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