Improvements seen in cognition, cholesterol, blood sugar, and C-reactive protein<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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FRIDAY, April 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Supplementation with probiotics and vitamin D may have beneficial effects on cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia, according to a study published online April 10 in\u00a0Neuropsychopharmacology Reports<\/em>.<\/p>\n Aida Mohammadi, from University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences in Iran, and colleagues evaluated the effects of probiotic\/vitamin D (400 IU) supplementation on cognitive function and disease severity in 69 patients (aged 18 to 65 years) with schizophrenia.<\/p>\n The researchers found that the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score increased by 1.96 units in the probiotic-containing supplement group versus the group receiving placebo. Further, the percentage of individuals with a MoCA score \u00e2\u0089\u00a526 rose significantly in the intervention group. There were significant decreases in total cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, and C-reactive protein in the supplement group versus placebo group. There was a trend toward reduction in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale scores with the probiotic supplement, but the difference between the study groups was not statistically significant.<\/p>\n “Targeting the microbiota-gut-brain axis with co-administration of probiotics and vitamin D might provide a novel approach to promote mental health,” the authors write.<\/p>\n