Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum ps128 on children with autism spectrum disorder in Taiwan: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

This 2019 study assessed the effects of the bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 (PS128) on boys in Taiwan with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). All the subjects were aged between 7 to 15 years and were diagnosed with ASD as per the inclusion criteria. The kids were randomized to either receive the probiotic supplementation or a placebo for 4 weeks. The primary outcomes of this study were measured using questionnaires such as the Autism Behavior Checklist-Taiwan version (ABC-T), the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The secondary outcomes included the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV-Taiwan version (SNAP-IV) and the Clinical Global Impression-improvement (CGI-I). Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 demonstrated its ability to ameliorate opposition or defiance behaviors. In addition, autistic children in the probiotic treatment group significantly improved in SNAP-IV score when compared to individuals in the placebo group. Several enhanced features were found in the treatment group after 28 days PS128 consumption. Despite these findings, additional research is warranted to better understand the impacts that PS128 can have on autistic children with broader symptoms. [NPID: autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, autistic, children, young, youth, Taiwan, probiotics, bacteria, supplements, supplementation, alternative]

Year: 2019

Reference: Liu, Y. W., Liong, M. T., Chung, Y. E., Huang, H. Y., Peng, W. S., Cheng, Y. F., Lin, Y. S., Wu, Y. Y., & Tsai, Y. C. (2019). Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients, 11(4), 820. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11040820