PS128 Probiotic & Parkinson’s - How Does it Work?

In 2019, the first clinical study of L. plantarum PS128 for Parkinson’s patients was published. For 12 weeks, participants took their Parkinson’s medication as usual and added two capsules of PS128 at night (a 60 billion CFU dose).

On average, the people in the study reported longer ON time and less OFF time by about 45 minutes per day, adding up to more time each day that their medication was effective. 68% of participants noted they felt PS128 helped them, with 20% saying they felt much or very much improved.

But what does PS128 actually do that causes it to help? How can a bacterium inside the intestine influence dopamine activity in the brain?

Parkinson’s News Today readers recently asked us these questions, and our Chief Scientist, Dr. Y.C. Tsai, answered. You can read his article here.

PS128 psychobiotic and Parkinson's disease

Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide a health benefit, typically by tipping the balance of microorganisms in the gut to the good for better digestion. Some probiotics help with mental and neurological health as an added benefit of improving poor gut health.

But psychobiotics such as PS128 go farther. They provide a specific neurological health benefit that is separate from any effect they may have on gut health.

While we don’t know precisely how PS128 works in humans, we have some hints about what it might be doing from studies of animals.

In mice, PS128 influences the amount of dopamine in key regions of the brain, and mice with PD move better when they have access to PS128. Find out why these mice have more dopamine in our article on the Parkinson’s News Today website.