3.3. Impact of the Probiotic Intervention on Subjective Reports Independent of Acute Stress
depression, gastrointestinal symptoms, anxiety
At baseline, both the probiotic and placebo groups showed an average score under 8 on both the anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D) subscales, with no significant difference between the groups (see Our population showed median, first, and third quartiles scores between 0 and 1 on the PSQI subscales (see To investigate the impact of the probiotic on the potential pathways of the gut–brain communication, the cortisol concentration upon waking was assessed as a marker of the HPA axis activity. Notably, we did not find any effect of the probiotic on the salivary cortisol awakening response compared to placebo (CAR AUCg: We also investigated the gastrointestinal symptoms in this population experiencing mild-to-moderate stress using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS). No signs of gut discomfort were detected. The two experimental groups displayed comparable values (see 