Prebiotic trial found no clear group benefit for recreational endurance athletes
Gut discomfort, wellbeing, stress, and sleep did not differ significantly between the supplement and placebo groups in this pilot trial.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The trial did not detect an overall advantage of the prebiotic for exercise-related gut discomfort or the reported wellbeing, stress, and sleep measures. Individual variation led the authors to suggest further study, but it does not demonstrate a reliably benefiting subgroup. These null findings also do not prove that the supplement and placebo are equivalent.
The abstract contains inconsistent participant counts and reports no confidence intervals for the main group comparisons. These reporting limits make the precision of the null results difficult to judge.
What researchers found
Exercise-related gastrointestinal discomfort
B-GOS versus placebo during 12 weeks, assessed before and after exercise; effect size and confidence interval were not reported.
What the study tested
The study paired a running test with gut symptom and exercise-anxiety assessments. During supplementation, researchers also monitored physical activity, general stress, mental wellbeing, and sleep, giving a broader view than gut comfort alone.
Why individual variation is inconclusive
The authors' model suggested that some participants might respond differently. Without a demonstrated group benefit or a clearly validated responder group in the abstract, this remains a question for larger studies.
The original publication
The Effects of 12-Week Prebiotic Supplementation on General Wellness and Exercise-Induced Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Recreationally Trained Endurance Athletes: A Triple-Blind Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial.
Gough LA, Weldon A, Clark CCT et al.
Nutrients · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41228463
- Record checked
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