Effect of probiotics on behavior and GI symptoms in children with autism

Summaries 1 min 129

Font Size

Created On: 18/06/2025

A randomized controlled trial investigated whether probiotics could alleviate gastrointestinal (GI) and behavioral problems in pediatrics (aged 2–9 years) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

See All

Key take away

A 3-month course of probiotics is effective and safe to reduce behavioral and gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background

Method

A total of 180 children were randomly assigned to receive either:

Probiotic supplementation (n=90)
Placebo (n=90)

The probiotic or placebo was supplied in sachets, mixed with 50 mL of warm milk or water, and administered twice a day for a duration of 3 months. Changes in behavioral symptoms, assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) and Aberrant Behavior Checklist-2 (ABC-2), along with GI symptoms measured by the GI Severity Index (GSI), were evaluated following a 3-month intervention period.

Result

The probiotic group experienced a remarkable decline in behavioral symptom severity, as depicted in Table 1:

Following the intervention, those receiving probiotics exhibited striking reductions in core challenges such as social withdrawal/lethargy (40%), stereotyped behaviors (37.77%), hyperactivity (34.44%), and inappropriate speech (32.22%)—all statistically significant (p=0.000). Beyond behavioral shifts, notable GI improvements were also observed, with constipation (p=0.003) and diarrhea (p=0.043) both easing more effectively than in the placebo group. Interestingly, both groups revealed a meaningful link between behavioral changes and GI symptom patterns.

Conclusion

Probiotic supplementation led to improvements in both behavioral and GI symptoms in children with ASD, without any reported adverse effects. A pivotal correlation was witnessed between the two symptom domains. Larger trials are warranted to substantiate these findings.