Probiotics aim bigger 2020 was undoubtedly a turning point at global level, and the sector of probiotics did not escape this trend. The web traffic started to accelerate from the second half of the year and so did purchases or the online search for information… And it is not scientists that will halt this phenomenon: far from resting on its laurels, whether in terms of digestion or immunity, the research in the field of probiotics is ready to conquer new health territories. more than 110% increase in the following the exposure to stress of subjects with number of online appreciations low chronic stress levels. As for the subjects with of probiotic products. This is what high stress levels, the recovery and sleep quality Lumina Intelligence’s analysis of were rated as better, and finally, in women, the December 2020 (see box) showed: more than perceived stress was reduced.4 6.8 million posted opinions, of which more than More recently, in Texas, a team of researchers was half added last year. It is the very illustration of a able to correct the social deficits of mice (behav- healthy market composed of loyal, regular con- ioural disorder model) via the microbiota and the sumers, but also new ones. And the novelty does synthesis of metabolites belonging to the family not stop there, as beyond the promise of immu- of biopterines (similar to folic acid). What’s in- nity, probiotics are now also positioned on oth- teresting, the motor disorders were not corrected. er areas well known to consumers, but until thenhardly associated with probiotics. Research in this +110%On the other side of the globe, Bened Biomedical(Taiwan), a spinoff specialized in the microbiome field is currently increasingly focused on the brain of online appreciations and owner of its patented psychobiotic strain L. via the gut-brain axis, the metabolic syndrome of probiotics products plantarum PS128, showed the decrease of a neu- and inflammation, not to mention bone health. roinflammatory molecule involved in Parkinson’s disease. An improvement of more than 10% PSYCHOBIOTICS, THE NEW in the score regarding this pathology was also CONQUERORS found in twenty-five patients, and that without It was in 2013, in the pharmaceutical sector, any side effects as compared to drug treatments. that the concept of “psychobiotics” emerged for the first time, referring to “a live organism that, when ingested in adequate amounts, produces health benefits in patients suffering from a psy- chiatric illness”. At the same time, the prevalence1 or absence of certain species within the microbio- ta has been correlated with anxiety disorders, de- pression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and even Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.2 An interconnected system would therefore exist between the brain and the gut (microbiota/intes- tines) through the synthesis and transport of neu- roactive substances such as hormones (seroto- nin), neurotransmitters and microbiota-derived metabolites (short-chain fatty acids).3 Hypotheses are being tested (clinical trials), such as the Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Lpc-37 (Howaru® Calm) strain developed by Dupont Nutrition and Biosciences-IFF, which was tested on 120 “stressed” participants for five weeks to assess its effect on psychological and physiolog- ical parameters. The results showed a decrease in fatigue and the normalization of cortisol levels #75 - 321 -GAM s’fitcA