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Colonization, AsymptomaticPhase 1ProbioticsNCT07439978

Encapsulated Probiotics & Gut Microbiota

A Phase 1 study testing probiotic containing L.rhamnosus R0011 strain and 200 ml yogurt drink in people with Colonization, Asymptomatic and Colonisation, run by University College Dublin.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

The aim of this study is to determine whether encapsulation of probiotic bacteria using natural plant protein can enhance bacterial colonisation. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is an ideal strain for the intervention, as it has been shown to affect overall gut health, gut-brain axis, and brain function. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 25 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Colonization, Asymptomatic, Colonisation
What is being tested?
probiotic containing L.rhamnosus R0011 strain and 200 ml yogurt drink
Type of treatment
Pill or oral medicine
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
50 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Apr 2026to Aug 2026
Phase
Phase 1
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 25 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Capacity to obtain and sign informed consent before any study-related procedure
  • BMI range 18.5-31.9 kg/m2
  • Willing to abstain from regular consumption of probiotic supplements or food products containing probiotic bacteria (including fermented food and beverages).
  • Willing to abstain from regular consumption of supplements and medications known to alter gastrointestinal function or inflammatory status during the study.

Who cannot join

  • Participants who meet any of the following criteria will be excluded:
  • Smoking
  • Substance abuse
  • Pregnancy
  • Diagnosis of type 1 and/or type 2 diabetes
  • Current (or within the last 4 weeks prior to study start) use of probiotic supplementation.
Show all 19Show fewer
  • Immobile (defined as the inability to participate in all study-related procedures)
  • History of complicated gastrointestinal surgery
  • Diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
  • Current diagnosis of psychiatric disease/s or syndromes
  • Current diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease
  • Systemic use of antibiotics and/or steroid medication in the last 4 months prior to inclusion
  • Use of any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) more than 3 times a week for the last 2 months
  • Consumption of any NSAID within 7 days of study start
  • Any condition which could substantially interfere with intestinal barrier function (e.g. gluten sensitivity, lactose intolerance, celiac disease, IBS, IBD) or in any other way with the outcome of the study, as decided by the principal investigator's discretion
  • Regular smoking, use of snuff, nicotine, cannabidiol narcotics/supplements, or e-cigarette use
  • Drinking more than 9 standard cups of alcohol per week and/or more than 3 standard cups of alcohol per occasion
  • Regular use, for more than three times a week for the last 2 months and/or 7 days prior to inclusion, of medications which, according to the principal investigator, can have an anti-inflammatory effect or affect in any way the intestinal barrier function or have an impact on the study analysis (such as laxatives, anti-diarrheal, anti-cholinergic, etc.)
  • After being included in the study, starting any medication or treatment that could potentially influence the study participation and/or study analysis.

Trial locations and contacts

No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Werd Al-Najim, PhD contact

+353 0864117842

werd.al-najim@ucd.ie

Ahmed Al-Humadi, PhD contact

+353 083 0994008

ahmed.al-humadi@ucd.ie

About this study

Official title: A Physiological Study of a Fermented Yogurt Drink Containing Probiotics

The aim of this study is to determine whether encapsulation of probiotic bacteria using natural plant protein can enhance bacterial colonisation. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is an ideal strain for the intervention, as it has been shown to affect overall gut health, gut-brain axis, and brain function.

Twenty-five participants aged 25 to 65 years will be recruited and assessed on four occasions to compare the blood and faecal effects of a 28-day ingestion of a yoghurt beverage with and without the probiotic strain of interest. The study window will be 70+/13 days.

The current study will provide important information on the physiological function of probiotics in the small bowel. Understanding the underlying physiological effects of targeted probiotic delivery to the intestine and the impact on the microbiome is important for health outcomes.

Read the detailed description

The investigators plan to assess the gut microbiome and changes in probiotic diversity at the end of a course of a beverage containing encapsulated Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, compared to those at the end of a course of the same beverage without probiotics.

This is a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. Twenty-five healthy men and women with a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5-31.9 kg/m2, aged 25-65 years, will be recruited and randomised to a commercial fermented (yoghurt) drink containing a) encapsulated probiotics consisting of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, or b) a non-probiotic fermented (yoghurt) dairy drink (control). The number of participants includes a 10% drop-out rate.

Each participant will be studied on four occasions in random order following a crossover design. Each will receive a 200 ml beverage containing yoghurt per day for 28 days, either a) fortified with 1 billion probiotics contained in pea protein capsules or b) the control beverage (same yoghurt without probiotic). Faecal samples will be collected on four occasions: at baseline, and at 28, 42 and 70 days after baseline.

The current study will provide important information on the physiological function of probiotics in metabolic and inflammatory biochemical parameters, as well as in their capacity to colonise the gastrointestinal tract.

Being tested
probiotic containing L.rhamnosus R0011 strain, 200 ml yogurt drink
Keywords
Probiotic, Microbiota, Colonization, Dairy
Medical subject headings
Asymptomatic Infections

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • probiotic containing L.rhamnosus R0011 strainBiological

    Twenty-five participants will be studied on four occasions in random order and in a crossover design. Subjects will receive a daily dose of 200 ml on two different occasions for 28 days, a commercial dairy drink fortified with 1Billion probiotics in the pea protein capsules. Feacal samples will be collected on four occasions: at baseline, 28 days after baseline, 42 days and 70 days after baseline.

  • 200 ml yogurt drinkDietary supplement

    Twenty-five participants will be studied on four occasions in random order and in a crossover design. Subjects will receive a daily dose 200 ml on two different occasions for 28 days, a commercial dairy drink (no probiotics). Feacal samples will be collected on four occasions: at baseline, 28 days after baseline, 42 days and 70 days after baseline.

Study groups in NCT07439978
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Probiotic drinkExperimentalEncapsulated Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus in 200 ml Yogurt drink
Receives: Biological: probiotic containing L.rhamnosus R0011 strain
Placebo drinkPlacebo comparator200 ml yogurt drink
Receives: Dietary Supplement: 200 ml yogurt drink

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Colonisation

    Faecal abundance of Lactobacillus rhamnosus after probiotic consumption measured through shotgun metagenomics -libraries with Illumina Nextera XT, sequenced 150 bp paired-end on NextSeq 2000. Negative + positive controls will be processed alongside study samples with around 15M paired reads/sample after quality controls.

    Measured: 28 days

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted27 Feb 2026
  2. Study startApr 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completionJun 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completionAug 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
Each subject will be studied on four occasions in random order and in a crossover design. Subjects will receive a daily dose 200 ml on two different occasions for 28 days, either a) in a commercial dairy drink fortified with 1Billion probiotics in pea protein capsules or b) a commercial dairy drink (no probiotics). Feacal samples will be collected on four occasions: at baseline, 28 days, 42 days and 70 days after baseline.
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
50 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07439978
Sponsor's protocol ID
REF No. RS26-013
Acronym
Probiotics
Status last verified
Feb 2026
First submitted
10 Feb 2026
Last updated
8 May 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: This study will be carried out in a single center. Therefore, fecal samples sent for microbiota analysis and data for statistical analyses will be identified by numbers allocated in the protocol and not contain identifiable information.

Publications

  • Zhou JS, Shu Q, Rutherfurd KJ, Prasad J, Gopal PK, Gill HS. Acute oral toxicity and bacterial translocation studies on potentially probiotic strains of lactic acid bacteria. Food Chem Toxicol. 2000 Feb-Mar;38(2-3):153-61. doi: 10.1016/s0278-6915(99)00154-4.

    PubMed 10717355
  • Zhou JS, Shu Q, Rutherfurd KJ, Prasad J, Birtles MJ, Gopal PK, Gill HS. Safety assessment of potential probiotic lactic acid bacterial strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, Lb. acidophilus HN017, and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 in BALB/c mice. Int J Food Microbiol. 2000 May 25;56(1):87-96. doi: 10.1016/s0168-1605(00)00219-1.

    PubMed 10857928
  • Zhou JS, Pillidge CJ, Gopal PK, Gill HS. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of new probiotic Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains. Int J Food Microbiol. 2005 Feb 1;98(2):211-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2004.05.011.

    PubMed 15681048
  • Zheng Y, Yu Z, Zhang W, Sun T. Lactobacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9 Improves the Quality of Life in Stressed Adults by Gut Microbiota. Foods. 2021 Oct 8;10(10):2384. doi: 10.3390/foods10102384.

    PubMed 34681433
  • Zahr NM, Mayer D, Pfefferbaum A, Sullivan EV. Low striatal glutamate levels underlie cognitive decline in the elderly: evidence from in vivo molecular spectroscopy. Cereb Cortex. 2008 Oct;18(10):2241-50. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhm250. Epub 2008 Jan 29.

    PubMed 18234683
  • Yao M, Xie J, Du H, McClements DJ, Xiao H, Li L. Progress in microencapsulation of probiotics: A review. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2020 Mar;19(2):857-874. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12532. Epub 2020 Feb 11.

    PubMed 33325164
  • Wu D, Lewis ED, Pae M, Meydani SN. Nutritional Modulation of Immune Function: Analysis of Evidence, Mechanisms, and Clinical Relevance. Front Immunol. 2019 Jan 15;9:3160. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.03160. eCollection 2018.

    PubMed 30697214
  • World Medical Association. World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA. 2013 Nov 27;310(20):2191-4. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.281053. No abstract available.

    PubMed 24141714
  • Wickens KL, Barthow CA, Murphy R, Abels PR, Maude RM, Stone PR, Mitchell EA, Stanley TV, Purdie GL, Kang JM, Hood FE, Rowden JL, Barnes PK, Fitzharris PF, Crane J. Early pregnancy probiotic supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 may reduce the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus: a randomised controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2017 Mar;117(6):804-813. doi: 10.1017/S0007114517000289. Epub 2017 Apr 3.

    PubMed 28367765
  • Rode J, Edebol Carlman HMT, Konig J, Repsilber D, Hutchinson AN, Thunberg P, Andersson P, Persson J, Kiselev A, Lathrop Stern L, Salomon B, Mohammed AA, Labus JS, Brummer RJ. Probiotic Mixture Containing Lactobacillus helveticus, Bifidobacterium longum and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Affects Brain Responses Toward an Emotional Task in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Front Nutr. 2022 Apr 29;9:827182. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.827182. eCollection 2022.

    PubMed 35571902
  • Moro-Garcia MA, Alonso-Arias R, Baltadjieva M, Fernandez Benitez C, Fernandez Barrial MA, Diaz Ruisanchez E, Alonso Santos R, Alvarez Sanchez M, Saavedra Mijan J, Lopez-Larrea C. Oral supplementation with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 8481 enhances systemic immunity in elderly subjects. Age (Dordr). 2013 Aug;35(4):1311-26. doi: 10.1007/s11357-012-9434-6. Epub 2012 May 30.

    PubMed 22645023
  • Hutchinson AN, Bergh C, Kruger K, Susserova M, Allen J, Ameen S, Tingo L. The Effect of Probiotics on Health Outcomes in the Elderly: A Systematic Review of Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Studies. Microorganisms. 2021 Jun 21;9(6):1344. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9061344.

    PubMed 34205818
  • Gbassi GK, Vandamme T. Probiotic encapsulation technology: from microencapsulation to release into the gut. Pharmaceutics. 2012 Feb 6;4(1):149-63. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics4010149.

    PubMed 24300185
  • Claesson MJ, Jeffery IB, Conde S, Power SE, O'Connor EM, Cusack S, Harris HM, Coakley M, Lakshminarayanan B, O'Sullivan O, Fitzgerald GF, Deane J, O'Connor M, Harnedy N, O'Connor K, O'Mahony D, van Sinderen D, Wallace M, Brennan L, Stanton C, Marchesi JR, Fitzgerald AP, Shanahan F, Hill C, Ross RP, O'Toole PW. Gut microbiota composition correlates with diet and health in the elderly. Nature. 2012 Aug 9;488(7410):178-84. doi: 10.1038/nature11319.

    PubMed 22797518
  • Hill C, Guarner F, Reid G, Gibson GR, Merenstein DJ, Pot B, Morelli L, Canani RB, Flint HJ, Salminen S, Calder PC, Sanders ME. Expert consensus document. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics consensus statement on the scope and appropriate use of the term probiotic. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014 Aug;11(8):506-14. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2014.66. Epub 2014 Jun 10.

    PubMed 24912386

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1 study testing probiotic containing L.rhamnosus R0011 strain and 200 ml yogurt drink in people with Colonization, Asymptomatic and Colonisation, run by University College Dublin.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 19 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Werd Al-Najim, PhD (+353 0864117842, werd.al-najim@ucd.ie), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Colonisation (time frame: 28 days). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07439978, which also lists 23 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 May 2026.

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