AB-Biotics and Kaneka Probiotics’ KABP-051 Supports Weight Management, Mood: Study

A new clinical study found that Lactobacillus plantarum KABP-051 supported improvements in measures of mood and body composition over placebo in a population of healthy, overweight adults. The findings were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

L. plantarum KABP-051 shares a genetic profile with the companies’ Mindbiome strain, which was previously shown to support stress and anxiety by modulating neuroactive compounds, including serotonin.

To investigate the potential of L. plantarum KABP-051, researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The 60 healthy, overweight adults, with BMI ranging from 25-35 with moderate stress levels, received either 1 billion CFU per day or a matching placebo. Participants also attended weekly lifestyle education sessions throughout the study period but weren’t placed on specific diet or exercise programs.

After 12 weeks, the probiotic group showed an average weight loss of nearly 2 kilograms, representing a 2.4% reduction in body weight. While modest, body weight reductions of this size are associated with meaningful improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and glycemic control. The treatment group also saw an average 2.15 centimeter reduction in waist circumference and a significant decrease in body fat percentage compared to the placebo group (-0.91% versus +0.35% respectively).

Participants were also evaluated with the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire; the probiotic group saw greater reductions in self-reported fatigue and confusion compared to placebo. Microbiome analysis found that probiotic supplementation showed a significant increase in the abundance of Lactobacillus species, consistent with positive modulation of the gut microbiota composition.

“Body weight and mental well-being are deeply interconnected, and both are strongly influenced by the gut microbiome,” said Miguel Angel Bonachera, executive director and co-founder of AB-Biotics. “This research demonstrates how these connections can be harnessed to deliver meaningful improvements in both body composition and mood with a single intervention like L. plantarum KABP-051. For many consumers, weight management is as much about feeling more energized and mentally well as it is about the physical outcomes. These effects are also linked, and by improving mood and energy levels through the gut-brain axis, L. plantarum KABP-051 may have enabled better self-regulation, supporting long-term adherence to healthier habits. These are exciting results that point toward next-generation probiotic solutions with the potential to transform how we support consumers on their weight management and healthy lifestyle journeys.”

While the study was observational in nature, the researchers proposed two potential mechanisms of action at work. Unpublished in vitro research suggests that L. plantarum KABP-051 may stimulate production of GLP-1, which, combined with established benefits to mood and energy, may position KABP-051 as a non-drug microbiome-based approach to support weight management.