Can a prebiotic pill protect against sleep loss?
NCT ID NCT03747367
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at how not getting enough sleep and being awake at odd hours affects your thinking, blood chemistry, and the helpful bacteria in your gut. Researchers gave 55 healthy adults a prebiotic supplement or a placebo to see if it could help counter the negative effects. The goal is to find ways to help people like emergency workers and military personnel stay sharp despite disrupted sleep.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Prebiotic supplement (polydextrose and galacto-oligosaccharide)
What this could lead to
If successful, this could point toward dietary strategies to help people like shift workers and emergency responders stay resilient to the effects of sleep loss.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study focused on measuring changes, not testing a treatment. The prebiotic may not produce meaningful benefits, and results may not apply to the general public.
Disclaimer
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory
Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0554, United States