Cited by 166Probiotics and Fermented FoodsStress Responses and CortisolGastrointestinal motility and disorders

Fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota prevents the onset of physical symptoms in medical students under academic examination stress

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Kato-Kataoka, A., Nishida, K., Takada, M., Suda, K., Kawai, M., Shimizu, K., Kushiro, A., Hoshi, R. +5 more·2016·Beneficial Microbes

Abstract

This pilot study investigated the effects of the probiotic Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) on psychological, physiological, and physical stress responses in medical students undertaking an authorised nationwide examination for promotion. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 24 and 23 healthy medical students consumed a fermented milk containing LcS and a placebo milk, respectively, once a day for 8 weeks until the day before the examination. Psychophysical state, salivary cortisol, faecal serotonin, and plasma L-tryptophan were analysed on 5 different sampling days (8 weeks before, 2 weeks before, 1 day before, immediately after, and 2 weeks after the examination). Physical symptoms were also recorded in a diary by subjects during the intervention period for 8 weeks. In association with a significant elevation of anxiety at 1 day before the examination, salivary cortisol and plasma L-tryptophan levels were significantly increased in only the placebo group (P<0.05). Two weeks after the examination, the LcS group had significantly higher faecal serotonin levels (P<0.05) than the placebo group. Moreover, the rate of subjects experiencing common abdominal and cold symptoms and total number of days experiencing these physical symptoms per subject were significantly lower in the LcS group than in the placebo group during the pre-examination period at 5-6 weeks (each P<0.05) and 7-8 weeks (each P<0.01) during the intervention period. Our results suggest that the daily consumption of fermented milk containing LcS may exert beneficial effects preventing the onset of physical symptoms in healthy subjects exposed to stressful situations.

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Crossref · 10.3920/bm2015.0100

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  • In a pilot study with 47 healthy young medical students, consumption of a fermented milk drink containing L. casei strain Shirota was able to reduce physical symptoms of stress such as abdominal pain or cold symptoms, prevented the increase in salivary cortisol observed in the placebo group, and could potentially normalize stress-induced aberration in tryptophan metabolism and improve 5-HT

    “In a pilot study with 47 healthy young medical students, consumption of a fermented milk drink containing L. casei strain Shirota was able to reduce physical symptoms of stress such as abdominal pain or cold symptoms, prevented the increase in salivary cortisol observed in the placebo group, and could potentially normalize stress-induced aberration in tryptophan metabolism and improve 5-HT”

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Authors
Kato-Kataoka, A., Nishida, K., Takada, M., Suda, K., Kawai, M., Shimizu, K., Kushiro, A., Hoshi, R., Watanabe, O., Igarashi, T., Miyazaki, K., Kuwano, Y., & Rokutan, K.
Affiliations
  • Yakult Central Institute (JP)
  • Tokushima University (JP)
  • Yakult Honsha (Japan) (JP)
Venue
Beneficial Microbes
Published
2016-03-11
Volume
7
Issue
2
Pages
153-160
ISSN
  • 1876-2883 (ISSN-L)
  • 1876-2891
OpenAlex
W2210309500
Cited by
166
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 8
FWCI
13.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Beneficial Microbes (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Tokushima
  • Yakult Honsha
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (15K15274)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
Keywords
Lactobacillus casei Shirota, fermented milk, probiotics, exam stress, academic stress, medical students, anxiety, salivary cortisol, tryptophan, somatic symptoms, abdominal symptoms, cold symptoms
MeSH terms
Animals, Anxiety, Double-Blind Method, Female, Fermentation, Humans, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Male, Milk, Stress, Physiological, Students, Medical, Tryptophan, Probiotics, Cultured Milk Products, Young Adult

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