An interventional study of postbiotics and placebo in Mood Disorder, sponsored by Hanyang University. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in South Korea. Open to participants aged 19 Years to 39 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-12.
Sponsored by Hanyang University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
This study was conducted to investigate effects of postbiotics on mood disorders in korean adults
This study is an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial. 52 participants were randomly assigned to either the postbiotics intervention group or a placebo group. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of postbiotics on mood disorders in Korean adults, comparing pre- and post-intervention mood profiles.
561 studies on the registry are indexed under Mood Disorders; 105 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 52 is below the median of 80 across 419 interventional studies indexed under Mood Disorders.
Browse Mood Disorders studies →Hanyang University is the lead sponsor of 52 studies on the registry; 3 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
3 capsules/day postbiotics (20 × 10\^9 CFU/day) for 8 weeks
Dietary Supplement: postbiotics
3 capsules/day placebo for 8 weeks
Dietary Supplement: placebo
3 capsules/day postbiotics (20 × 10\^9 CFU/day) for 8 weeks
3 capsules/day placebo for 8 weeks
Effect of postbiotics on depressive symptoms measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), compared with placebo
Epidemiology Research Center Depression Scale (CES-D): The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a widely used 20-item self-reported instrument designed to measure depressive symptom severity in the general population. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale (0 to 3), assessing emotional, somatic, interpersonal, and positive affect domains over the past week. Total scores range from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Time frame: week 0, week 8
Effect of postbiotics on momentary mood measured by Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), compared with placebo
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) captures real-time mood states by sending brief questionnaires to participants multiple times per day via online links. Each assessment includes six questions related to current mood and mental state, scored on a continuous slider scale from 0 (not at all) to 100 (very much). Higher scores indicate greater severity of negative mood or emotional distress. The average daily score will be calculated and used to assess change from baseline.
Time frame: Three consecutive days at baseline (Week 0) and three consecutive days at follow-up (Week 8)
Effect of postbiotics on psychological distress measured by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), compared with placebo
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) is a validated self-report tool containing 21 items, divided equally into three subscales: depression, anxiety, and stress. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale (0 to 3), and subscale scores are summed. Each subscale score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms in the respective domain.
Time frame: week 0, week 8
Effect of postbiotics on perceived stress measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), compared with placebo
The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a validated 10-item self-report questionnaire assessing the degree to which situations in one's life are appraised as stressful. Each item is rated on a scale from 0 (never) to 4 (very often), with total scores ranging from 0 to 40. Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress.
Time frame: Week 0, Week 8
Effect of postbiotics on fecal microbiome composition, compared with placebo
Fecal samples will be collected for gut microbiota profiling using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Participants will be asked to provide approximately 0.5 grams of stool in one container, collected within 24 hours prior to the clinic visit. The sample should be stored in a household freezer until delivery, and will be stored at -80°C upon arrival for microbial DNA extraction and analysis.
Time frame: Week 0, Week 8
Effect of postbiotics on fecal metabolites, compared with placebo
For metabolite analysis using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), participants will be asked to provide approximately 0.5 grams of stool in each of two containers. These samples should be collected within 24 hours prior to the clinic visit, frozen at home, and delivered in a frozen state. Upon receipt, samples will be stored at -80°C for metabolomic profiling.
Time frame: Week 0, Week 8
Effect of postbiotics on gastrointestinal symptoms measured by the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Visual Analog Scale (VAS-IBS), compared with placebo
The VAS-IBS is a self-report instrument that assesses gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and flatulence. Each symptom is rated on a visual analog scale from 0 (very severe) to 100 (very mild). Lower scores indicate more severe symptoms.
Time frame: Weekly from Week 0 to Week 8
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Ran from Oct 2025 to primary completion in Dec 2025, 2 months.
Of 151 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Mood Disorders, half reached primary completion within 22 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 44. This study's 2 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 162 studies reached it within 21 months; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 44.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Sep 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Hanyang University