Safety and Efficacy of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05, Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR08 and Lactobacillus crispatus LCr86 on Hormone Metabolism, Body Composition, and Emotional Regulation in Overweight Women: A Randomized, Double - Blind, Placebo - Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Female obesity is linked to dysfunction of the endocrine-metabolic-gut-brain axis. Probiotics may offer therapeutic benefits, but robust evidence is limited. AIM: To investigate the effects of a 12-week multi-strain probiotic intervention on endocrine, metabolic, psychological parameters, and gut microbiota in obese women. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 102 obese women received daily probiotics (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05, Limosilactobacillus reuteri LR08 and Lactobacillus crispatus LCr86) or placebo for 12 weeks. Hormones, anthropometric measures, psychological scores, and gut microbiota were assessed at baseline and endpoint. RESULTS: Probiotics selectively modulated the endocrine-metabolic axis. Compared to placebo, prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leptin decreased, while glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY increased (p < 0.05). Body weight, BMI, waist and hip circumference, and body fat percentage declined significantly (p < 0.05). Anxiety and depression scores improved markedly (p < 0.001). Gut microbiota showed increased Faecalibacterium and decreased Collinsella abundance (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A 12-week multi-strain probiotic intervention was associated with improvements in body composition and emotional status, as well as favorable changes in appetite- and stress-related hormonal profiles and gut microbial composition in women with obesity. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT07013409 (ClinicalTrials.gov).