Verb’s Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp815 is known to produce GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid), a naturally occurring (non-proteinogenic) amino acid and key inhibitory neurotransmitter found in human cells.
New data published in Nature’s Scientific Reports indicated that six weeks of supplementation with the strain significantly increased urinary GABA levels within the first week, and this correlated with better sleep quality and mood.
Oura Ring data confirmed the measurable gains in total sleep, deep sleep and reduced sleep latency, reported scientists from People Science, Verb Biotics and Keller Consulting Group.
“The GABA-producing probiotic Lp815 may offer a safe and natural option to address symptoms of anxiety, night sweats, sleep disturbance, increase sleep duration and satisfaction in people with symptoms of insomnia,” they wrote.
The new study confirms earlier data on the strain, published last year in Beneficial Microbes, which indicated that supplementation may reduce anxiety in a diverse group of anxious adults and improve sleep.
“Our previous findings of reduced anxiety with 5 billion CFU Lp815 daily appear to extend beyond anxious cohorts to those with sleep disturbance, with women exhibiting stronger improvements than men,” the researchers added.
Microbiota-gut-brain axis
The study adds to the ever-growing body of research supporting the role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis for cognitive function. This axis is a bidirectional interaction between the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system and implicates the ability of specific strains to produce key neurotransmitters like GABA, serotonin and dopamine.
GABA is a naturally occurring (non-proteinogenic) amino acid and key inhibitory neurotransmitter found in human cells. GABA can be found in a range of foods, with certain fermented foods particularly popular in East Asia like kimchi having especially high concentrations.
“Lp815 is a proprietary strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolated from over 250 million variants for its ability to produce high levels of GABA within the GI tract" stated Noah Zimmerman, chief scientific officer at Verb Biotics, in a press release. “When given orally, Lp815 acts as a GABA factory in the gut; delivering GABA through oral ingestion while working with one’s existing gut microbiota to produce additional GABA.”
Study details
The six-week study evaluated the effects of Lp815 compared to placebo on subjective sleep, mood, digestion and objective wearable sleep data over six weeks in adults with self-reported sleep disturbance. The trial included a diverse sample population of 138 people, with 51% women. The average age was 44. Participants were randomly assigned to receive LP815 (5 billion CFU/day) or matching placebo for the duration of the study.
Results showed that 77.3% of Lp815 participants showed improvement in sleep of at least four points on the insomnia severity index (ISI) after six weeks, compared to less than 58% in the placebo group.
This was supported by data from a wearable (Oura Ring), which found significant improvements in time in bed, total sleep duration and deep sleep duration after Lp815 supplementation.
In addition, anxiety scores, measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Questionnaire (GAD-7), significantly decreased compared to placebo, with women experiencing greater effects, the researchers reported.
“Of note, urinary GABA was elevated after one week of Lp815 consumption compared to placebo, consistent with the hypothesis that the probiotic increases gut-derived GABA, some of which may enter general circulation and persist at more stable concentrations than bolus-GABA from pharmaceuticals,” they wrote.
“Interestingly, we observed relatively stable GABA levels in supplemented participants after the first week and no evidence of tolerance (i.e., no reduction in intervention effects past that first week; on the contrary, metrics continued to improve throughout the study period).”
Todd Beckman, CEO of Verb Biotics, welcomed the study’s findings, stating that the trial “validates the power of precision probiotics to go beyond digestive support. With Lp815, we’re showing that targeted microbial strains can modulate the gut-brain axis to help people sleep better and feel better.”
Source: Scientific Reports, 2026, 16, 644. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-27861-6. “Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp815 improves sleep and increases urinary GABA in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sleep disturbance”. Authors: A.D. Grant, et al.
