Add-On Bifidobacterium Bifidum Supplement in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A 12-Week Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

• Published in: Nutrients 2024-07, Vol.16 (14), p.2260
• Main Authors: Wang, Liang-Jen, Tsai, Ching-Shu, Chou, Wen-Jiun, Kuo, Ho-Chang, Huang, Ying-Hsien, Lee, Sheng-Yu, Dai, Hong-Ying, Yang, Chia-Yu, Li, Chia-Jung, Yeh, Yao-Tsung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ADHD; Appetite; Attention - drug effects; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Autism; Bifidobacterium; Bifidobacterium bifidum; Child; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Children & youth; Clinical trials; Dietary Supplements; Dopamine; Double-Blind Method; Double-blind studies; Drug therapy; Feces - microbiology; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - drug effects; gut–brain axis; Humans; Hyperactivity; Male; Methylphenidate - administration & dosage; microbiome; Microbiota; Nervous system; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Neuropsychology; probiotic; Probiotics; Probiotics - administration & dosage; psychobiotics; Reaction Time - drug effects; Sample size; Side effects; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu16142260

We conducted a 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial to investigate the potential impact of ( ) supplementation on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD who were already receiving a stable dose of methylphenidate (MPH) treatment were enrolled and were randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving add-on (daily bacterial count of 5 × 10 CFUs) ( = 51) and the other receiving a placebo ( = 51). All participants underwent assessments using Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and Conners' Continuous Auditory Test of Attention (CATA). Additionally, fecal samples were collected at the beginning of the trial (week 0) and at the endpoint (week 12). Remarkably, the group receiving supplementation, but not the placebo group, exhibited significant improvements in omission errors in CPT as well as Hit reaction time in both CPT and CATA. Gut microbiome analysis revealed a significant increase in the to ratio ( ratio) only in the group. Furthermore, we identified significant negative correlations between N-Glycan biosynthesis and Hit reaction time in both CPT and CATA. Our results demonstrate that the probiotic supplement can enhance neuropsychological performance in children with ADHD, possibly by altering the composition of the gut microbiota, ultimately leading to reduced N-Glycan biosynthesis.