Objective: Increased intake of sweets or sugar craving may occur in response to chronic stress representing a risk factor for development of eating disorders and obesity. However, no safe treatment of stress-induced sugar craving is available. In this study we analysed effects of two Lactobacillus strains on food and sucrose intake in mice before and during their exposure to a chronic mild stress (CMS).
Research methods & procedures: C57Bl6 mice were gavaged daily for 27 days with a mix of L. salivarius (LS) LS7892 and L. gasseri (LG) LG6410 strains or with 0.9% NaCl as a control. Following 10 days of gavage, mice were individually placed into the Modular Phenotypic cages, and after 7 days of acclimation were exposed to a CMS model for 10 days. Food, water and 2% sucrose intakes as well as meal pattern were monitored. Anxiety and depressive-like behaviour were analysed by standard tests.
Results: Exposure of mice to CMS was accompanied by increased size of sucrose intake in the control group likely reflecting the stress-induced sugar craving. A consistent, about 20% lower total sucrose intake, was observed in the Lactobacilli-treated group during stress which was mainly due to a reduced number of intakes. Lactobacilli treatment also modified the meal pattern before and during the CMS, showing a decrease of meal number and an increase of meal size with a tendency of reduced total daily food intake. Mild anti-depressive behavioural effects of the Lactobacilli mix were also present.
Conclusion: Supplementation of mice with LS LS7892 and LG LG6410 decreases sugar consumption suggesting a potential utility of these strains against stress-induced sugar craving.
Keywords: animal models; chronic mild stress; feeding behaviour; gut microbiota-brain axis; probiotics; sugar craving; water intake.
© 2023 The Authors. European Eating Disorders Review published by Eating Disorders Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.