International travel disrupts gut health through dietary changes, microbial exposure, and stress, often causing gastrointestinal symptoms like traveler's diarrhea and sleep disturbances. These shifts may increase antibiotic resistance risks. Probiotics may help stabilize gut microbiota and improve well-being during travel. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigated whether probiotic supplementation mitigates gut microbiota perturbations, gastrointestinal symptoms, and sleep issues in adults traveling abroad. The investigators also assessed changes in anxiety, well-being, gut immunity, microbial function, and antibiotic resistance genes.
Generally healthy adults
Scheduled to undertake a short-term round trip (less than 7 days) to abroad
Able to complete study procedures
Willing to take intervention products
Use of antibiotics, probiotics, hormones, immunosuppressants, biologics or JAK inhibitors within four weeks prior to study
Chronic or severe systemic diseases (including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, malignant or psychiatric disorders)
Uncontrolled parasitic infections
Long-term use of corticosteroids, growth hormone, vitamin B12, lysine or inositol
Parallel
Probiotic
Other interventionDaily 6-drops of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis M-63, B. breve M-16V, and B. longum BB536 in non-GMO corn starch as excipient, in medium-chain triglyceride oil (1.5 × 109 CFU/day)
Placebo
Other interventionDaily 6-drops of non-GMO corn starch in medium-chain triglyceride oil
Microbiota profiles of fecal samples in generally healthy adults upon administration of probiotic as assessed via metagenomics sequencing
Differences in microbiota abundance in fecal sample of generally healthy adults upon administration o probiotic compared to placebo
Respiratory symptoms duration and frequency in generally healthy adults upon administration of probiotic as assessed using questionnaire
Changes in duration and frequency of respiratory illnesses symptoms from generally healthy adults on probiotic or placebo after 7-days, via the use of standard clinical assessment questionnaire, scale 0-3 where higher scores indicate more severe symptoms.
Gastrointestinal symptoms in generally healthy adults upon administration of probiotic as assessed using questionnaire
Differences in duration and frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms upon administration of probiotic compared to placebo via the use of standard clinical assessment questionnaire, scale 0-3 where higher scores indicate more severe symptoms.
Allergy symptoms in generally healthy adults upon administration of probiotic as assessed using questionnaire
Differences in duration and frequency of allergy symptoms upon administration of probiotic compared to placebo via the use of standard clinical assessment questionnaire, scale 0-3 where higher scores indicate more severe symptoms.
Gastrointestinal metabolites in generally healthy adults upon administration of probiotic as assessed using LC-MS
Differences in concentrations of gastrointestinal metabolites upon administration of probiotic compared to placebo
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Universiti Sains Malaysia
Lead sponsor
Tsinghua University Science and Technology
Collaborator
