Synbiotic Supplement May Mitigate Post-COVID-19 Chronic Fatigue: Study

A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that daily supplementation with a synbiotic blend was associated with improvements in clinical features of post-COVID-19 chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), such as measures of exercise tolerance metabolism in the brain.

CFS affects as many as 45% of those previously infected with COVID-19, and is the most common symptom of “long COVID,” per a study in Frontiers in Neurology. The syndrome is characterized by extreme fatigue, post-exercise malaise, and unrefreshing sleep. It is often associated with disruption in the gut microbiome and brain energy metabolism, per dsm-firmenich. CFS can also manifest after other viral or bacterial infections or periods of high stress.

In the present study, 26 adults diagnosed with post-COVID-19 CFS were treated with either a synbiotic blend or a placebo for three months. The researchers posited that solving gastrointestinal disturbances commonly associated with CFS could potentially manage symptoms.

The synbiotic mixture included four strains from dsm-firmenich’s Humiom portfolio. These included Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus DSM 32550, Humiome Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 34532, Bifdobacterium lactis DSM 32269, and Bifdobacterium longum DSM 32946, in combination with fructooligosaccharides and zinc.

The objective of the trial was to measure change in general fatigue from baseline to the three-month study follow-up, assessed using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) test, which evaluates key dimensions of fatigue, including physical and mental fatigue, reduced motivation, and reduced activity.

Both the treatment and placebo groups experienced significant improvements in general fatigue.

However, the results showed a significant reduction in post-exercise malaise, which occurs when the body is not able to recover from exercise, in the synbiotic group, compared to the placebo.

The treatment group also experienced a unique improvement in brain metabolites, determined using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Higher creatine levels were found, particularly in regions of the brain such as the left frontal white and gray matter, as well as higher choline levels in the thalamus, suggesting enhanced neuronal energy metabolism in the synbiotic group, the researchers reported.

Additionally, there was a strong trend in the synbiotic group of reduced concentration difficulties compared to the placebo group.

“This study offers compelling new evidence that targeted synbiotic supplementation to restore gut microbiota can positively influence brain energy metabolism and can reduce hallmark symptoms of post-viral fatigue syndromes like CFS,” said Robert E. Steinert, HNC principal scientist at dsm-firmenich. “Chronic fatigue is a debilitating condition that can severely impact quality of life for those affected by it, with this research marking an important step forward in demonstrating the potential of synbiotics in managing CFS symptoms. It opens the door for greater innovation in development of nutritional supplements and solutions that can provide both a physical and metaphorical boost for CFS patients.”