A Systematic Review of the Effect of Probiotic Supplementation on Schizophrenia Symptoms
Abstract
Background Derangements of the gut microbiome have been linked to increased systemic inflammation and central nervous system disorders, including schizophrenia. This systematic review thus aimed to investigate the hypothesis that probiotic supplementation improves schizophrenia symptoms. Methods By using the keywords (probiotic OR gut OR microbiota OR microbiome OR yogurt OR yoghurt OR lactobacillus OR bifidobacterium) AND (schizophrenia OR psychosis), a preliminary search of the PubMed, Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov, Clinical Trials Register of the Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group (CCDANTR), and Cochrane Field for Complementary Medicine databases yielded 329 papers published in English between January 1, 1960 and May 1, 2018. Attempts were made to search grey literature as well. Results Three clinical studies were reviewed, comparing the use of probiotics to placebo controls. Applying per-protocol analysis and a fixed-effects model, there was no significant difference in schizophrenia symptoms between the group that received probiotic supplementation and the placebo group post-intervention as the standardized mean difference was -0.0884 (95% CI -0.380 to 0.204, p = 0.551). Separate analyses were performed to investigate the effect of probiotic supplementation on positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia alone. In both instances, no significant difference was observed as well. Conclusion Based on current evidence, limite…
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Probiotics may result in some benefits in patients with schizophrenia in terms of somatization symptoms and collateral effects of standard treatment.
“Although the relationship between the gut microbiome and SZ remains unclear [22], probiotics may result in some benefits in patients with SZ in terms of both somatization symptoms and collateral effects of canon therapeutic treatment [23].”
From Effect of Supplementation with Probiotics in Patients with Schizophrenia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials (2025) · cites this paper as [23]
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“Although the relationship between the gut microbiome and SZ remains unclear [22], probiotics may result in some benefits in patients with SZ in terms of both somatization symptoms and collateral effects of canon therapeutic treatment [23].”
- Authors
- Ng, Q. X., Soh, A. Y. S., Venkatanarayanan, N., Ho, C. Y. X., Lim, D. Y., & Yeo, W.-S.
- Affiliations
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital (SG)
- National University Hospital (SG)
- MOH Holdings (SG)
- Institute of Mental Health (SG)
- Venue
- Neuropsychobiology
- Publisher
- S. Karger AG
- Published
- 2019
- Volume
- 78
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-6
- ISSN
- 0302-282X (ISSN-L)
- 1423-0224
- OpenAlex
- W2925513119
- Cited by
- 87
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 11 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 1.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuropsychobiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Keywords
- probiotics, schizophrenia, gut microbiota, probiotic supplementation, psychotic symptoms, positive symptoms, negative symptoms, systemic inflammation, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, yogurt, antipsychotic adverse effects
- MeSH terms
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Humans, Schizophrenia, Schizophrenic Psychology, Dietary Supplements, Probiotics
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