Probiotic-Reduced Inflammaging in Older Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

The disparity between increased lifespan and healthy aging, marked by prevalent "inflammaging", highlights the global challenge in care of older persons. This study explored the anti-inflammatory effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HEAL9 (LpHEAL9), alone or combined with berries, on older volunteers with chronic low-grade inflammation (LGI). It was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, with a total of 66 volunteers (> 70 years old), randomly assigned, and equally distributed, to placebo, LpHEAL9 or LpHEAL9 + Berries group. After a 2-week run-in period, participants underwent a 4-week dietary intervention. Intake of LpHEAL9 showed a trend towards reduction in serum CRP but without reaching statistical significance. However, LpHEAL9 significantly decreased fecal calprotectin levels compared to placebo. LpHEAL9+Berries did not show any effect on inflammation. Both probiotic groups showed a trend in improving cognitive function albeit not reaching statistical significance. Our findings suggest that the probiotic strain L. plantarum HEAL9 has a modest impact on LGI in a healthy older population (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02342496).