New probiotic cocktail put to the test: safe or just hype?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: To be eligible for inclusion, the Participant must fulfill all the following criteria: 1. Be able to give written informed consent. 2. Be between 18 and 65 years, inclusive. 3. Has a BMI: Phase I ≤29.9kg/m2. Phase II ≤34.9kg/m2. 4. Mean total food craving score (FCI-UK) of ≥2.5 at screening visit. (Phase I only) 5. Stable weight for the past 30 days (defined as ± 2.3kg). 6\. Willing to consume the Study Product daily for the duration of the study. Exclusion Criteria: Participants will be excluded from the study if they meet any of the following criteria: 1. Participants who are pregnant or wish to become pregnant during the study or who are lactating and/or currently breastfeeding. 2. Participants currently of biological childbearing potential, but not using a continuous effective method of contraception, as outlined below: 1. Complete abstinence from intercourse two weeks prior to administration of the Study Product, throughout the clinical study, until the completion of follow-up procedures or for two weeks following discontinuation of the Study Product in cases where Participant discontinues the study prematurely. (Participants utilising this method must agree to use an alternate method of contraception if they should become sexually active and will be queried on whether they have been abstinent in the preceding two weeks when they present to the clinic for the final visit). 2. Has a male sexual partner who is surgically sterilised prior to the Screening Visit and is the only male sexual partner for that Participant. 3. Sexual partner(s) is/are exclusively female. 4. Use of acceptable method of contraception, such as a spermicide, mechanical barrier (e.g., male condom, female diaphragm), tubal ligation, or contraceptive pill. The Participant must be using this method for at least one week prior to and one week following the end of the study. 5. Use of any intrauterine device (IUD) or contraceptive implant. The Participant must have the device inserted at least two weeks prior to the first screening visit, throughout the study, and two weeks following the end of the study. 3. Has food allergies or other issues with foods that would preclude intake of the Study Products. 1. Known hypersensitivity to any component of the probiotic used in the study (Clostridium butyricum WB-STR-0006, Akkermansia muciniphila WB-STR-0001, Bifidobacterium infantis, chicory inulin, microcrystalline cellulose, l-leucine, hypromellose (vegetarian capsule), silica) 2. Known hypersensitivity or allergy to any component of the meal product used in the meal challenge (allergens: milk and soy) 4. Has any significant acute or chronic coexisting health conditions that would prevent them from fulfilling the study requirements, put the Participant at risk or would confound the interpretation of the study results as judged by the investigator on the basis of medical history and routine laboratory test results. Excluded health conditions include: a. Gastrointestinal condition (including GI bleeding in the past 3 months) b. Major gastrointestinal surgery or explorations (cholecystectomy and appendectomy are allowed) c. Cancer (in the past 1 year) d. Active autoimmune condition e. Cardiovascular disease (in the past 3 months) 5. Current or recent use of a medication that the investigator believes would interfere with the objectives of the study or pose a safety risk or confound the interpretation of the study results. Prohibited medications include: a. Oral antibiotics or Antifungals (in the past 1 month) b. Medications impacting gut motility (in the 2 weeks prior to baseline) c. GLP-1 receptor agonists (in the past 6 months) d. Sulfonylureas (in the past 6 months) e. Proton Pump Inhibitors (in the past 1 month) f. Laxatives (in the past 1 month) 6\. Current or recent (in the past 1 month) use of prohibited nutritional or non-nutritional supplements, including: 1. Probiotics/Prebiotics 2. Fibre supplements 7. Individuals who, in the opinion of the investigator, are considered to be poor attendees or unlikely for any reason to be able to comply with the study. 8\. Participants may not be receiving treatment involving experimental drugs/supplements. If the Participant has been in a recent experimental study, these must have been completed not less than 90 days for drugs and 30 days for supplements prior to this study. 9\. Current participation or planned participation in a weight loss program during the study period 10. Known hypersensitivity to \>4 first-line antimicrobial therapies against Akkermansia muciniphila: Penicillin, Piperacillin, Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Tetracycline 11. Known hypersensitivity to \>4 first-line antimicrobial therapies against Clostridium butyricum: Penicillin, Piperacillin, Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Tetracycline, Vancomycin, Cefoxitin 12. Known hypersensitivity to \>4 first-line antimicrobial therapies against Bifidobacterium infantis Bi-26TM: Gentamicin, Kanamycin, Streptomycin, Tetracycline, Erythromycin, Clindamycin, Ampicillin, Vancomycin