The research, funded by AB-Biotics, investigated the effects of a proprietary three-strain probiotic blend comprising Lactobacillus brevis KABP052, Lactobacillus plantarum KABP051, and Pediococcus acidilactici KABP021, on menopause-related symptoms and quality of life. The three-strain probiotic blend is marketed as KABP Menopause in the US and Gyntima Menopause in Europe.
Results published in The Journal of The Menopause Society found that women taking the probiotic blend experienced significantly greater improvements in menopause-related symptoms and quality of life compared with those receiving placebo, with notable benefits reported for hot flashes, sleep disturbances, depressive mood and physical and mental exhaustion.
“More than one billion women worldwide are currently experiencing or have gone through the menopausal transition, which profoundly impacts multiple aspects of health and quality of life,” said María Rodríguez-Palmero, medical director at AB-Biotics, and lead author on the study.
Estrobolome emerges as potential target for probiotic menopause support
Menopause typically occurs around age 50 as ovarian hormone production declines. During perimenopause, fluctuating hormone levels can trigger as many as 48 different symptoms, including hot flushes, fatigue, joint discomfort, sleep problems, irritability, sexual dysfunction and vaginal dryness. More than 80% of women experience menopausal symptoms, which can last for seven years on average and, in some cases, 15 years or longer.
“While scientific investment and innovation in this area have expanded over recent years, consumer research suggests that the vast majority of women feel poorly served by the solutions currently available to them,” said Rodríguez-Palmero.
Research suggests that menopause changes the gut microbiota and the estrobolome—the group of gut bacteria involved in estrogen metabolism—potentially contributing to symptoms. Probiotics are increasingly considered as a non-hormonal approach to support estrogen metabolism during menopause.
Furthermore, previous research found that a three-strain probiotic blend containing L. brevis KABP 052, L. plantarum KABP 051 and P. acidilactici KABP 021 might slow the decline in serum estrogen levels in peri- and postmenopausal women. The researchers therefore examined whether the same blend could also improve menopause symptoms and quality of life.
“Research highlights a significant unmet need in menopause care, with only around 45% of European women reporting satisfaction with available options, and only 7% of peri- and postmenopausal women in the US being “very satisfied” with over-the-counter options,” said Rodríguez-Palmero.
“The findings of this new study on Gyntima Menopause / KABP Menopause probiotic blend are an important step toward changing that.”
Probiotic blend improves menopause symptoms
The researchers conducted the three-month, decentralized, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study by assigning participants in a 2:1 ratio to receive either a probiotic or placebo. They recruited women aged 45–60 years who were perimenopausal or postmenopausal (within 5 years of their last menstrual period), all of whom completed electronic questionnaires remotely throughout the 3-month intervention.
The probiotic group took one capsule daily with a main meal. Each capsule contained the three probiotic strains— providing 1 × 10⁹ CFU per dose. The placebo contained maltodextrin only.
The researchers measured menopausal symptoms and quality of life through the Menopause Rating Scale II (MRS II) and the Cervantes Quality of Life Scale, and assessed digestive tolerance using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS).
Results showed that the probiotic blend significantly reduced overall menopause symptoms compared with placebo after three months. The participants also reported significant improvements in the overall somato-vegetative symptoms, including physical symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep disturbances and heart discomfort. In the per-protocol analysis, the probiotic also significantly improved psychological symptoms compared with placebo.
The probiotic group also reported a significant improvement in quality of life, while the placebo group showed no meaningful change. However, the researchers found no significant difference between the groups in overall Cervantes quality-of-life scores or vaginal symptoms.
The authors said the blend may have supported estrogen reabsorption in the gut, and that the combination could support gut and brain health by producing short-chain fatty acids and GABA, which are linked to immune function and communication between the gut and brain.
However, the current study did not measure estrogen levels, gut microbiota, or assess biological pathways, so the researchers say further studies are needed to confirm exactly how the probiotic produces its effects.
“Together, these findings demonstrate how KABP Menopause / Gyntima Menopause can support women navigating the menopausal transition by targeting the root cause of symptoms,” said Jordi Riera, Chief Business Officer at Kaneka Probiotics.
“As demand for natural, hormone-free menopause support continues to accelerate, the need for clinically substantiated ingredients has never been greater. No other probiotic ingredient has this depth of clinical evidence for estrogen modulation, which gives supplement formulators a differentiated, science-backed foundation meeting that demand.”
Source: The Journal of The Menopause Society; “Efficacy of a probiotic formula in the management of menopausal symptoms and quality of life: a randomized controlled trial.” doi: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002871; Authors: Rodríguez-Palmero, M. et al.
