Could a daily probiotic soothe both bellyaches and anxiety in children?

NCT ID NCT02711800

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Nancy Zucker Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This small pilot study tested whether a daily probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) could reduce abdominal pain and anxiety in children aged 9 to 13. Nine children who had both anxiety and stomach pain took the probiotic for 30 days. Researchers measured changes in pain and anxiety before and after treatment. Because the study was very small and had no placebo group, the results are preliminary and meant to guide future, larger studies.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Culturelle Kids probiotic)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could point toward a simple probiotic treatment for children with both anxiety and stomach pain.
What could go wrong: This is a very small pilot study with only 9 participants, so results may not apply to other children. The trial is also open-label, meaning no placebo was used, which can bias outcomes.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for ABDOMINAL PAIN are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Abdominal Pain anxiety anxiety disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ABDOMINAL PAIN ANXIETY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Duke Center for Developmental Epedimiology

Durham, North Carolina, 27701, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.