The effects of synbiotic supplementation on hormonal status, biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Pancreatic β-cell Function and C-reactive Protein in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial Internet-based randomised controlled trials for the evaluation of complementary and alternative medicines: probiotics in spondyloarthropathy Probiotics in Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Hormonal Profiles, Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Comparison of single and combined treatment with exenatide and metformin on menstrual cyclicity in overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Probiotic supplementation and the effects on weight loss, glycaemia and lipid profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study of probiotics in active rheumatoid arthritis The effects of probiotic and selenium co-supplementation on parameters of mental health, hormonal profiles, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in women with polycystic ovary syndrome Randomised clinical trial of synbiotic therapy in elective surgical patients Efficacy of local use of probiotics as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in chronic periodontitis and halitosis: A randomized controlled trial SYNbiotics Easing Renal failure by improving Gut microbiologY (SYNERGY): a protocol of placebo-controlled randomised cross-over trial Synbiotic therapy (Bifidobacterium longum/Synergy 1) initiates resolution of inflammation in patients with active ulcerative colitis: a randomised controlled pilot trial Effects of Prebiotic and Synbiotic Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers and Anthropometric Indices After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A Randomized, Triple-blind, Placebo-controlled Pilot Study Dietary synbiotics reduce cancer risk factors in polypectomized and colon cancer patients. A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial: The Efficacy of Multispecies Probiotic Supplementation in Alleviating Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Associated with Constipation Clinical and biochemical characterization of women with polycystic ovary syndrome in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Background To our knowledge , no reports are available indicating the effects of synbiotic supplementation on hormonal status , biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS ) . This research was done to assess the effects of synbiotic supplementation on hormonal status , biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in subjects with PCOS . Methods This r and omized double-blind , placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 60 subjects diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam criteria . Subjects were r and omly assigned into two groups to take either synbiotic ( n = 30 ) or placebo ( n = 30 ) for 12 weeks . Endocrine , inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers were quantified at baseline and after the 12-week intervention . Results After the 12-week intervention , compared with the placebo , synbiotic supplementation significantly increased serum sex hormone-binding globulin ( SHBG ) ( changes from baseline in synbiotic group : + 19.8 ± 47.3 vs. in placebo group : + 0.5 ± 5.4 nmol/L , p = 0.01 ) , plasma nitric oxide ( NO ) ( changes from baseline in synbiotic group : + 5.5 ± 4.8 vs. in placebo group : + 0.3 ± 9.1 μmol/L , p = 0.006 ) , and decreased modified Ferriman Gallwey ( mF-G ) scores ( changes from baseline in synbiotic group : − 1.3 ± 2.5 vs. in placebo group : − 0.1 ± 0.5 , p = 0.01 ) and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) ( changes from baseline in synbiotic group : − 950.0 ± 2246.6 vs. in placebo group : + 335.3 ± 2466.9 ng/mL , p = 0.02 ) . We did not observe any significant effect of synbiotic supplementation on other hormonal status and biomarkers of oxidative stress . Conclusions Overall , synbiotic supplementation for 12 weeks in PCOS women had beneficial effects on SHBG , mFG scores , hs-CRP and NO levels , but did not affect other hormonal status and biomarkers of oxidative stress . Trial registration This study was retrospectively registered in the Iranian website ( www.i rct .ir ) for registration of clinical trials ( I RCT 201509115623N53 ) , on 2015–09 - 27 Background : Polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS ) is a polygenic endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age that lead to infertility . The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotic on pancreatic β-cell function and C-reactive protein ( CRP ) in PCOS patients . Methods : This r and omized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among 72 women aged 15–40 years old diagnosed with PCOS . Participants were r and omly assigned to two groups receiving : ( 1 ) Probiotic supplements ( n = 36 ) , ( 2 ) placebo ( n = 36 ) for 8-week . Fasting blood sample s were taken at baseline and after 8-week of intervention . Results : Probiotic supplementation , compare with placebo , reduced fasting blood sugar ( −4.15 ± 2.87 vs. 2.57 ± 5.66 mg/dL , respectively P = 0.7 ) , serum insulin levels in crude model ( −0.49 ± 0.67 vs. 0.34 ± 0.82 μIU/mL , respectively , P = 0.09 ) , homeostasis model of assessment -insulin resistance score ( −0.25 ± 0.18 vs. −0.05 ± 0.18 , respectively , P = 0.14 ) nonsignificantly . Serum insulin levels after adjustment with covariates reduced significantly in probiotic group ( P = 0.02 ) . We did not found any significant differences in mean changes of CRP between groups ( −0.25 ± 0.18 vs. −0.05 ± 0.18 , respectively , P = 0.14 ) . Conclusions : A 8-week multispecies probiotics supplementation had nonsignificantly beneficial effect on pancreatic β-cell function and CRP in PCOS patients . After adjustment for some covariates , serum insulin changes were significantly different between groups Background The clinical effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicines ( CAMs ) is widely debated because of a lack of clinical trials . The internet may provide an effective and economical approach for undertaking r and omised controlled trials ( RCTs ) of low-risk interventions . We investigated whether the internet could be used to perform an internet-based RCT of a CAM fulfilling the revised CONSORT ( Consoli date d St and ards of Reporting Trials ) statement quality checklist for reporting of RCTs . A secondary aim was to examine the effect of probiotics compared to placebo in terms of well-being over 12 weeks . Methods People aged ≥18 years with confirmed spondyloarthropathy living in the United Kingdom with internet access were invited to participate in an internet-based RCT of probiotic compared to placebo for improving well-being and bowel symptoms . The intervention was a probiotic containing 4 strains of live bacteria or identical placebo taken by mouth daily for 3 months . The primary outcome measure was the performance of the trial according to the revised CONSORT statement . Results 147 people were r and omised into the trial . The internet-based trial of the CAM fulfilled the revised CONSORT statement such as efficient blinding , allocation concealment , intention to treat analysis and flow of participants through the trial . Recruitment of the required number of participants was completed in 19 months . Sixty-five percent ( 96/147 ) completed the entire 3 months of the trial . The trial was low cost and demonstrated that in an intention to treat analysis , probiotics did not improve well-being or bowel symptoms . Conclusion The internet-based RCT proved to be a successful and economical method for examining this CAM intervention . Recruitment , adherence and completion rate were all similar to those reported with conventional RCTs but at a fraction of the cost . Internet-based RCTs can fulfil all the criteria of the revised CONSORT statement and are an appropriate method for study ing low-risk interventions .Trial registration IS RCT Many r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) have been done on role of probiotics as a treatment modality in allergic rhinitis . We conducted a review on the same . A systematic search of published literature was done . RCTs comparing effect of probiotics with placebo were included . A predefined set of outcome measures were assessed . Continuous data were expressed as pooled st and ardized mean difference ( SMD ) with 95 % confidence interval ( CI ) . Dichotomous data were expressed as odds ratio with 95 % CI . P value < 0.05 was considered significant . RevMan version 5 was used for all the analyses . Seven RCTs were eligible for inclusion .  Probiotic intake  improved quality of life score in patients with allergic rhinitis [ SMD -1.17 ( 95 % CI -1.47 , -0.86 ; P < 0.00001 ) ] . Other parameter that improved with probiotic intake was decrease in the number of episodes of rhinitis per year . There was no significant change in blood or immunologic parameters in the probiotic group , SMD -0.10 ( 95 % CI -0.26 , 0.06 ; P = 0.22 ) . Adverse events were not significant . Probiotic therapy might be useful in rhinitis , but the present data do not allow any treatment recommendations BACKGROUND To the best of our knowledge , data on effects of probiotic administration on hormonal profiles , biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in women with polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS ) are scarce . This investigation was conducted to assess the effects of probiotic supplementation on hormonal profiles , biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in women with PCOS . METHODS This r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 60 women with PCOS , aged 18 - 40 years old . Subjects were r and omly assigned into 2 groups to receive either probiotics or placebo ( n = 30 each group ) for 12 weeks . Metabolic profiles were quantified at baseline and after a 12-week intervention . RESULTS After the 12-week intervention , compared with placebo , probiotic supplementation significantly increased serum sex hormone-binding globulin ( SHBG ) ( + 25.9 ± 32.5 vs. + 0.5 ± 15.6 nmol/L , P < 0.001 ) and plasma total antioxidant capacity ( TAC ) ( + 8.8 ± 120.5 vs. -98.3 ± 246.4 mmol/L , P = 0.04 ) , and significantly decreased serum total testosterone ( -0.2 ± 0.7 vs. + 0.2 ± 0.6 ng/mL , P = 0.03 ) , modified Ferriman-Gallwey ( mF-G ) scores ( -1.7 ± 1.5 vs. -0.2 ± 1.0 , P < 0.001 ) , serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) ( -1150.0 ± 1295.2 vs. + 202.5 ± 1426.3 ng/mL , P < 0.001 ) and plasma malondialdehyde ( MDA ) concentrations ( -0.2 ± 0.6 vs. + 0.9 ± 1.3 µmol/L , P < 0.001 ) . We did not observe any detrimental effect of probiotic supplementation on other metabolic profiles . CONCLUSION Overall , probiotic supplementation of PCOS women for 12 weeks had beneficial effects on total testosterone , SHBG , mFG scores , hs-CRP , TAC and MDA levels but did not affect other metabolic profiles CONTEXT Insulin resistance and obesity are common features of the polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS ) . Weight loss and use of insulin-lowering drugs have been shown to improve both reproductive and metabolic aspects of PCOS . OBJECTIVE We evaluated exenatide ( EX ) and metformin ( MET ) , alone and in combination ( COM ) , on menstrual cyclicity , hormonal parameters , metabolic profiles , and inflammatory markers in overweight , insulin-resistant women with PCOS . DESIGN , SETTING , AND PARTICIPANTS Sixty overweight oligoovulatory women with PCOS ( body mass index > 27 ; 18 - 40 yr ) were r and omized to one of three treatment groups : MET [ 1000 mg twice daily ( BID ) ] , EX ( 10 microg BID ) , or COM ( MET 1000 mg BID , EX 10 microg BID ) for 24 wk . The primary outcome was menstrual frequency ; secondary outcome measures included changes in ovulation rate , insulin action , anthropometric measures , and rogen levels , and inflammatory markers .  RESULTS Forty-two ( 70 % ) patients completed the study .  COM therapy was superior to EX or MET monotherapy in improving menstrual cyclicity , ovulation rate , free and rogen index , and insulin sensitivity measures and reducing weight and abdominal fat . Both EX arms were more effective in promoting weight loss than MET ( P = 0.003 ) . CONCLUSIONS COM appears better than either EX or MET alone on menstrual cycle frequency and hormonal and metabolic derangements . A marked decrease in central adiposity could partly explain the improvements in reproductive function , insulin-glucose parameters , and adiponectin observed in these overweight women with PCOS treated with COM therapy . Larger trials of longer duration are warranted to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of combined EX-MET therapy in overweight women with PCOS Abstract The aim of the current study was to assess the effects of probiotic supplementation on weight loss , glycaemia and lipid profiles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS ) . In a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial , 60 women with PCOS were r and omized to receive probiotic capsule ( n = 30 ) or placebo ( n = 30 ) for 12 weeks . Consumption of probiotic supplements result ed in a significant reduction in weight ( −0.5 ± 0.4 vs. + 0.1 ± 1.0 kg , p = 0.004 ) and BMI ( −0.2 ± 0.2 vs. + 0.03 ± 0.4 kg/m2 , p = 0.004 ) compared with the placebo . In addition , compared with the placebo , probiotic administration was associated with a significant decrease in fasting plasma glucose ( −2.4 ± 8.4 vs. + 2.1 ± 7.0 mg/dL , p = 0.02 ) , serum insulin concentrations ( −2.0 ± 5.8 vs. + 1.6 ± 5.0 μIU/mL , p = 0.01 ) , homoeostasis model of assessment -insulin resistance ( −0.5 ± 1.4 vs. + 0.3 ± 1.1 , p = 0.01 ) , homoeostatic model assessment -beta cell function ( −7.5 ± 22.3 vs. + 6.3 ± 21.7 , p = 0.01 ) , serum triglycerides ( −13.3 ± 51.3 vs. + 13.6 ± 37.1 mg/dL , p= 0.02 ) and a significant increase in quantitative insulin sensitivity check index ( QUICKI ) ( + 0.006 ± 0.01 vs. −0.005 ± 0.02 , p = 0.01 ) . When we adjusted the analysis for baseline values of biochemical parameters , age and baseline BMI , except for QUICKI ( p = 0.08 ) , other findings did not alter . We found that probiotic supplementation among PCOS women for 12 weeks had favourable effects on weight loss , markers of insulin resistance , triglycerides and VLDL-cholesterol concentrations Summary Background To examine the effect of probiotics as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) . A sample size of 30 subjects was calculated to determine a moderate effect . Material / Methods A three month double-blind , placebo-controlled study was performed using probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 capsules administered orally . Inclusion criteria required at least 4 swollen and 4 tender joints and stable medications with no steroids for at least 1 month prior to and during the study . Twenty-nine patients with RA were r and omized to treatment .  ACR20 responses , serum cytokine levels and safety parameters were assessed . Results Fifteen patients were r and omized to the probiotic group , and 14 to placebo .  Three subjects in the probiotic ( 20 % ) and one in the placebo group ( 7 % ) achieved an ACR20 response ( p= 0.33 ) . There was no statistically significant difference between individual components of the ACR20 criteria . Changes in cytokines favored placebo over probiotic . There was a significant improvement in the Health Assessment Question naire ( HAQ ) score in the probiotic group from visit 1 to visit 3 ( p=0.02 ) but no between-group differences . Conclusions Due to inclusion criteria , patients selected for the study had stable RA with chronic synovitis , and thus it may have been difficult for an adjunctive therapy to demonstrate improvement within 3 months . Although probiotics did not clinical ly improve RA as measured by the ACR20 , it is interesting that there was functional improvement seen within the probiotic group compared to placebo Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the co-administration of probiotic and selenium on parameters of mental health , hormonal profiles , and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in women with PCOS . Data on the effects of selenium and probiotic co-supplementation on mental health , hormonal and inflammatory parameters of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS ) are scarce . This investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of selenium and probiotic co-supplementation on mental health , hormonal and inflammatory parameters in women with PCOS . Methods This r and omized , double-blinded , placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 60 subjects , aged 18–40 years old . Participants were r and omly allocated into two groups to intake 8 × 109 CFU/day probiotic plus 200 μg/day selenium supplements ( n = 30 ) or placebo ( n = 30 ) for 12 weeks . Hormonal and inflammatory parameters were measured at baseline and after the 12-week intervention . Results Probiotic and selenium co-supplementation result ed in a significant improvement in beck depression inventory ( β − 0.76 ; 95 % CI , − 1.26 , − 0.26 ; P = 0.003 ) , general health question naire scores ( β − 1.15 ; 95 % CI , − 1.97 , − 0.32 ; P = 0.007 ) and depression anxiety and stress scale scores ( β − 1.49 ; 95 % CI , − 2.59 , − 0.39 ; P = 0.009 ) compared with the placebo . Furthermore , probiotic and selenium co-supplementation  significantly reduced total testosterone ( β − 0.26 ng/mL ; 95 % CI , − 0.51 , − 0.02 ; P = 0.03 ) , hirsutism ( β − 0.43 ; 95 % CI , − 0.74 , − 0.11 ; P = 0.008 ) , high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ( hs-CRP ) ( β − 0.58 mg/L ; 95 % CI , − 0.97 , − 0.19 ; P = 0.004 ) and malondialdehyde ( MDA ) levels ( β − 0.29 μmol/L ; 95 % CI , − 0.56 , − 0.02 ; P = 0.03 ) , and significantly increased total antioxidant capacity ( TAC ) ( β + 84.76 mmol/L ; 95 % CI , + 48.08 , + 121.44 ; P < 0.001 ) and total glutathione ( GSH ) levels ( β + 26.78 μmol/L ; 95 % CI , + 4.33 , + 49.23 ; P = 0.02 ) compared with the placebo . Conclusions Overall , the co-administration of probiotic and selenium for 12 weeks to women with PCOS had beneficial effects on mental health parameters , serum total testosterone , hirsutism , hs-CRP , TAC , GSH and MDA levels . This study was prospect ively registered in the Iranian website ( www.i rct .ir ) for registration of clinical trials ( http://www.i rct .ir : I RCT 20170513033941N22).Trial registration I RCT 20170513033941N22 Background : It is possible to manipulate the composition of the gastrointestinal microflora by administration of pre- and probiotics . This may help to preserve gut barrier function and reduce the incidence of septic morbidity . Aims : To assess the effects of a combination of pre- and probiotics ( synbiotic ) on bacterial translocation , gastric colonisation , systemic inflammation , and septic morbidity in elective surgical patients . Patients : Patients were enrolled two weeks prior to elective abdominal surgery . Seventy two patients were r and omised to the synbiotic group and 65 to the placebo group . Patients were well matched regarding age and sex distribution , diagnoses , and POSSUM scores . Methods : Patients in the synbiotic group received a two week preoperative course of Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 , Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12 , Streptococcus thermophilus , and Lactobacillus bulgaricus , together with the prebiotic oligofructose . Patients in the placebo group received placebo capsules and sucrose powder . At surgery , a nasogastric aspirate , mesenteric lymph node , and scrapings of the terminal ileum were harvested for microbiological analysis . Serum was collected preoperatively and on postoperative days 1 and 7 for measurement of C reactive protein , interleukin 6 , and antiendotoxin antibodies . Septic morbidity and mortality were recorded . Results : There were no significant differences between the synbiotic and control groups in bacterial translocation ( 12.1 % v 10.7 % ; p = 0.808 , χ2 ) , gastric colonisation ( 41 % v 44 % ; p = 0.719 ) , systemic inflammation , or septic complications ( 32 % v 31 % ; p = 0.882 ) . Conclusions : In this study , synbiotics had no measurable effect on gut barrier function in elective surgical patients . Further studies investigating the place of pre- and probiotics in clinical practice are required Objective : Periodontitis is known to have multifactorial etiology , involving interplay between environmental , host and microbial factors . The current treatment approaches are aim ed at reducing the pathogenic microorganisms . Administration of beneficial bacteria ( probiotics ) has emerged as a promising concept in the prevention and treatment of periodontitis . Thus , the aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of the local use of probiotics as an adjunct to scaling and root planing ( SRP ) in the treatment of patients with chronic periodontitis and halitosis . Methods : This is a r and omized , placebo-controlled , double-blinded trial involving 32 systemically healthy chronic periodontitis patients . After SRP , the subjects were r and omly assigned into the test and control groups . Test group ( SRP + probiotics ) received subgingival delivery of probiotics and probiotic mouthwash , and control group ( SRP + placebo ) received subgingival delivery of placebo and placebo mouthwash for 15 days . Plaque index ( PI ) , modified gingival index ( MGI ) , and bleeding index ( BI ) were assessed at baseline , 1 and 3 months thereafter , whereas probing depth ( PD ) and clinical attachment level were assessed at baseline and after 3 months . Microbial assessment using N-benzoyl-DL-arginine-naphthylamide ( BANA ) and halitosis assessment using organoleptic scores ( ORG ) was done at baseline , 1 and 3 months . Findings : All the clinical and microbiological parameters were significantly reduced in both groups at the end of the study . Inter-group comparison of PD reduction ( PDR ) and clinical attachment gain ( CAG ) revealed no statistical significance except for PDR in moderate pockets for the test group . Test group has shown statistically significant improvement in PI , MGI , and BI at 3 months compared to control group . Inter-group comparison revealed a significant reduction in BANA in test group at 1 month . ORG were significantly reduced in test group when compared to control group . Conclusion : Within the limitations of the study , the present investigation showed that the adjunctive use of probiotics offers clinical benefit in terms of pocket depth reduction in moderate pockets and reduced oral malodor parameters Background Emerging evidence suggests modulating the microbiota in the large bowel of patients with chronic kidney disease ( CKD ) through pre- and /probiotic supplementation may inhibit the development of key nephrovascular toxins . To date , quality intervention trials investigating this novel treatment in CKD are lacking . The aim of SYNERGY is to assess the effectiveness of synbiotics ( co-administration of pre- and probiotics ) as a potential treatment targeting the synthesis of uremic toxins , specifically , indoxyl sulphate ( IS ) and p-cresyl sulphate ( PCS ) . Methods / design Thirty-seven patients with moderate to severe CKD ( Stage IV and V , pre-dialysis ) will be recruited to a double-blind , placebo-controlled , r and omised cross-over trial . Patients will be provided with synbiotic therapy or placebo for 6 weeks , with a 4 week washout before cross-over . The primary outcome is serum IS , total and free ( unbound ) concentrations , measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography . Secondary outcomes include serum PCS , total and free ( unbound ) concentrations ; cardiovascular risk , measured by serum lipopolysaccharides , serum trimethylamine-N-oxide ( TMAO ) and inflammation and oxidative stress markers ; kidney damage , measured by 24 hour proteinuria and albuminuria , estimated glomerular filtration rate and renal tubule damage ( urinary kidney injury molecule-1 ) ; patients ’ self assessed quality of life ; and gastrointestinal symptoms . In addition , the effects on the community structure of the stool microbiota will be explored in a subset of patients to vali date the mechanistic rationale underpinning the synbiotic therapy . Discussion IS and PCS are two novel uremic toxins implicated in both cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) and progression of CKD . Preliminary studies indicate that synbiotic therapy maybe a promising strategy when considering a targeted , tolerable and cost-efficient therapy for lowering serum IS and PCS concentrations . This trial will provide high quality ‘ proof-of-concept ’ data to eluci date both the efficacy of synbiotic therapy for lowering the toxins and whether reductions in serum IS and PCS translate into clinical benefits . Considering the potential of pre- and probiotics to not only shift toxin levels , but to also impede CVD and CKD progression , SYNERGY will provide vital insight into the effectiveness of this innocuous nutritional therapy . Trial Registration Universal Trial Number : U1111 - 1142 - 4363 . Australian New Zeal and Clinical Trials Registry Number : ACTRN12613000493741 , date registered : 2nd May 2013 Background and aims : Ulcerative colitis ( UC ) is an acute and chronic inflammatory disease of the large bowel with unknown aetiology . The immune response against normal commensal microorganisms is believed to drive inflammatory processes associated with UC . Therefore , modulation of bacterial communities on the gut mucosa , through the use of probiotics and prebiotics , may be used to modify the disease state . Methods : A synbiotic was developed for use in UC patients combining a probiotic , Bifidobacterium longum , isolated from healthy rectal epithelium , and a prebiotic ( Synergy 1 ) , a preferential inulin-oligofructose growth substrate for the probiotic strain . Treatment was employed in a double blinded r and omised controlled trial using 18 patients with active UC for a period of one month . Clinical status was scored and rectal biopsies were collected before and after treatment , and transcription levels of epithelium related immune markers were measured . Results : Sigmoidoscopy scores ( scale 0–6 ) were reduced in the test group ( start 4.5 ( 1.4 ) , end 3.1 ( 2.5 ) ) compared with placebo ( start 2.6 ( 2.1 ) , end 3.2 ( 2.2 ) ) ( p = 0.06 ) . mRNA levels for human beta defensins 2 , 3 , and 4 , which are strongly upregulated in active UC , were significantly reduced in the test group after treatment ( p = 0.016 , 0.038 , and 0.008 , respectively ) . Tumour necrosis factor α and interleukin 1α , which are inflammatory cytokines that drive inflammation and induce defensin expression , were also significantly reduced after treatment ( p = 0.018 and 0.023 , respectively ) . Biopsies in the test group had reduced inflammation and regeneration of epithelial tissue . Conclusions : Short term synbiotic treatment of active UC result ed in improvement of the full clinical appearance of chronic inflammation in patients receiving this therapy Background : Studies have shown that prebiotics and synbiotics modulate the intestinal microbiota and may have beneficial effects on the immune response and anthropometric indices ; however , the impact of the use of these supplements after bariatric surgery is not yet known . Goals : This study investigated the effects of prebiotic and synbiotic supplementation on inflammatory markers and anthropometric indices in individuals undergoing open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass ( RYGB ) . Study : In this r and omized , controlled , and triple-blind trial conducted as a pilot study , individuals undergoing RYGB ( n=9 ) and healthy individuals ( n=9 ) were supplemented with 6 g/d of placebo ( maltodextrin ) , prebiotic ( fructo-oligosaccharide , FOS ) , or synbiotic ( FOS+Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria strains ) for 15 days . Results : Interleukin-1&bgr ; , interleukin-6 , tumor necrosis factor-&agr ; , C-reactive protein , albumin , and the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio showed no significant changes on comparison between groups after supplementation . The reduction in the body weight of  patients undergoing RYGB was 53.8 % higher in the prebiotic group compared with the placebo group ( −0.7 kg , P=0.001 ) , whereas the reduction in the BMI and the increase in the percentage of excess weight loss were higher in the placebo and the prebiotic groups compared with the synbiotic group ( P<0.05 ) . Conclusions : Supplementation of FOS increased weight loss , whereas both prebiotics and synbiotics were not able to promote significant changes in inflammatory markers , although in most analyses , there was a reduction in their absolute values . The use of FOS may represent a potential adjunct in the treatment of obesity BACKGROUND Animal studies suggest that prebiotics and probiotics exert protective effects against tumor development in the colon , but human data supporting this suggestion are weak . OBJECTIVE The objective was to verify whether the prebiotic concept ( selective interaction with colonic flora of nondigested carbohydrates ) as induced by a synbiotic preparation-oligofructose-enriched inulin ( SYN1 ) + Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ( LGG ) and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 (BB12)-is able to reduce the risk of colon cancer in humans . DESIGN The 12-wk r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial of a synbiotic food composed of the prebiotic SYN1 and probiotics LGG and BB12 was conducted in 37 colon cancer patients and 43 polypectomized patients . Fecal and blood sample s were obtained before , during , and after the intervention , and colorectal biopsy sample s were obtained before and after the intervention . The effect of synbiotic consumption on a battery of intermediate bio-markers for colon cancer was examined . RESULTS Synbiotic intervention result ed in significant changes in fecal flora : Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus increased and Clostridium perfringens decreased . The intervention significantly reduced colorectal proliferation and the capacity of fecal water to induce necrosis in colonic cells and improve epithelial barrier function in polypectomized patients . Genotoxicity assays of colonic biopsy sample s indicated a decreased exposure to genotoxins in polypectomized patients at the end of the intervention period . Synbiotic consumption prevented an increased secretion of interleukin 2 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the polypectomized patients and increased the production of interferon gamma in the cancer patients . CONCLUSIONS Several colorectal cancer biomarkers can be altered favorably by synbiotic intervention Background and Aim . The efficacy of supplementation treatment with two multispecies probiotic formulates on subjects diagnosed with IBS-C and the assessment of their gut microbiota were investigated . Methods . A r and omized , double-blind , three-arm parallel group trial was carried out on 150 IBS-C subjects divided into three groups ( F_1 , F_2 , and F_3 ) . Each group received a daily oral administration of probiotic mixtures ( for 60 days ) F_1 or F_2 or placebo F_3 , respectively . Fecal microbiological analyses were performed by  species-specific qPCR  to assess the different amount of probiotics . Results . The percentage of responders for each symptom was higher in the probiotic groups when compared to placebo group during the treatment period ( t60 ) and was maintained quite similar during the follow-up period ( t90 ) . Fecal analysis demonstrated that probiotics of the formulations increased during the times of treatment only in fecal DNA from subjects treated with F_1 and F_2 and not with F_3 , and the same level was maintained during the follow-up period . Conclusions . Multispecies probiotic supplementations are effective in IBS-C subjects and induce a different assessment in the composition of intestinal microbiota . This clinical study is registered with the clinical study registration number IS RCT N15032219 Polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS ) , defined as the combination of oligoanovulation and hyper and rogenism , affects more than 5 % of women of reproductive age . Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia appear to play an important role in its pathogenesis . Here , we will present a characterization of a PCOS cohort from North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany . Clinical features , family history as well as endocrine and metabolic parameters were prospect ively recorded from 200 successive patients . All patients were evaluated for insulin resistance and beta-cell-function by oral glucose tolerance test .  Patient data were compared with those of 98 age-matched control women . PCOS patients showed significantly higher BMI , body fat mass and and rogen levels as well as impaired glucose and insulin metabolism . A positive family history of PCOS and diabetes was more frequent in PCOS patients . Insulin resistance ( 71 % ) was the most common metabolic abnormality in PCOS patients followed by obesity ( 52 % ) and dyslipidemia ( 46.3 % ) , with an incidence of 31.5 % for the metabolic syndrome . C-reactive protein and other cardiovascular risk factors were frequently elevated even in young PCOS patients . While the clinical characteristics and endocrine parameters of this German PCOS cohort were heterogeneous , they were comparable to those from other Caucasian population
The administration of probiotic/synbiotic were associated with a significant improvement in FPG , FBI , HOMA I-R , BMI .
It also modified Ferriman-Gallway , serum triglycerides , serum testosterone , hs-CRP , NO , TAC , GSH , and MDA .
Subgroup analysis of the type of intervention showed that probiotics were associated with greater testosterone and FPG reduction ;  synbiotics administration result ed in a more pronounced decrease of the FBI .
Subgroup analyses on the duration of therapy showed that , probiotic/synbiotic administration had a significantly greater effect on QUICK-I in the case of women with 12-weeks of therapy than in the 8-weeks therapy group .
Nevertheless , we did not observe any significant difference was observed in terms of FBI , HOMA-IR , and FPG .
Probiotics and synbiotics seem to either an effect on/influence metabolic , hormonal and inflammatory parameters , or can influence them .
Consequently , it could lead to an improvement of fertility in PCOS
Several r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) have investigated the use of probiotic/synbiotic in PCOS patients , without clarifying the real use in clinical practice .
The aim of this meta- analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of probiotics and synbiotics on metabolic , hormonal and inflammatory parameters of PCOS  .