An interventional study of EPEGUT and Placebo in IBS - Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Gastrointestinal Motility Disorder, sponsored by University of Roehampton. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 35 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-04.
Sponsored by University of Roehampton · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal condition characterised by symptoms including abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, altered bowel habits and changes in digestive comfort. These symptoms can substantially affect quality of life, dietary behaviour, social functioning, and overall wellbeing. Although the underlying mechanisms are complex and multifactorial, growing evidence indicates that the gut microbiota and its interactions with the intestinal environment, immune system, gastrointestinal function, and gut-brain axis may play an important role in gastrointestinal health and symptom development. Prebiotics and probiotics have received increasing attention as nutritional strategies for supporting gut health. Prebiotics are substrates selectively utilised by beneficial microorganisms in the gut and can promote microbial growth and metabolic activity, including the production of short-chain fatty acids that contribute to intestinal barrier function, immune regulation, and colonic health. Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, may provide health benefits to the host. Selected probiotic strains have been investigated for their potential to support microbial balance, intestinal function, digestive comfort, and immune and inflammatory responses. However, responses to individual prebiotic or probiotic interventions can vary considerably between individuals, highlighting the potential value of complementary or combined nutritional approaches.
In this context, Epetome is a food supplement containing fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and a combined probiotic formulation, designed to support gastrointestinal and overall gut health through a targeted nutritional approach. By combining the potential benefits associated with prebiotic and probiotic strategies, Epetome aims to support the gut microbial ecosystem and its interaction with the host. This may be particularly relevant for individuals experiencing persistent IBS-like gastrointestinal symptoms, where alterations in microbial composition and function may contribute to digestive discomfort and impaired wellbeing.This study will test whether 12 weeks of daily Epetome supplementation, compared with a matched placebo, improves gastrointestinal function, inflammatory biomarkers and wellbeing in adults aged 35-50 years with IBS-like gastrointestinal symptoms.
1,116 studies on the registry are indexed under Irritable Bowel Syndrome; 208 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 60 is below the median of 70 across 896 interventional studies indexed under Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Browse Irritable Bowel Syndrome studies →University of Roehampton is the lead sponsor of 24 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.
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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.
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A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
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Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A dietary supplement containing fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a prebiotic fibre, combined with probiotic microorganisms in capsule form.
Dietary Supplement: EPEGUT
Matching placebo comparator
Dietary Supplement: Placebo
a dietary supplement containing fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a prebiotic fibre, combined with probiotic microorganisms in capsule form.
Also known as: Active prebiotic (FOS) and probiotic ingredients.
Placebo comparator
Changes in gastrointestinal symptom severity
Change from baseline to Week 12 in gastrointestinal symptom severity, assessed using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) total score, comparing participants receiving Epetōme® Synbiotic Dual Cap® with those receiving placebo. The outcome will be measured as the mean change in GSRS total score from baseline to Week 12, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.
Time frame: baseline, week 4 and week 12
Changes in digestive comfort
Change from baseline to Week 12 in gastrointestinal symptom severity and digestive comfort, assessed using a validated gastrointestinal symptom questionnaire. Outcomes will be compared between participants receiving Epetōme® Synbiotic Dual Cap® and those receiving placebo.
Time frame: Baseline, week 4 and week 12
Changes Health-related quality of life
Change from baseline to Week 12 in health-related quality of life, assessed using the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire or another specified validated quality-of-life instrument. Changes in the relevant total or domain-specific scores will be compared between the intervention and placebo groups.
Time frame: Baseline, week 4 and week 12
Perceived stress
Change from baseline to Week 12 in perceived stress, assessed using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Changes in total scores will be compared between participants receiving Epetōme® Synbiotic Dual Cap® and those receiving placebo.
Time frame: Baseline, week 4 and week 12
General wellbeing
Change from baseline to Week 12 in general psychological wellbeing, assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Changes in total wellbeing scores will be compared between the intervention and placebo groups.
Time frame: Baseline, week 4 and week 12
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Start is estimated for Nov 2026; primary completion for Jan 2027, 2 months later.
Of 305 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Irritable Bowel Syndrome, half reached primary completion within 21 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 40. This study's planned 2 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 357 studies reached it within 19 months; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 38.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Roehampton