{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,6]],"date-time":"2026-11-06T23:54:52Z","timestamp":1794009292206,"version":"4.8.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,30]],"date-time":"2025-09-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759190400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ildong Bioscience","award":["RS-2025-02216704"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RS-2025-02216704"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.mdpi.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Functional bowel disorders (FBDs) are chronic gastrointestinal conditions characterized by recurrent symptoms associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis. Although accumulating evidence suggests that probiotics can improve symptoms in patients with FBD, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 38 adults meeting the Rome IV diagnostic criteria of functional constipation (FC) and functional diarrhea (FD) received either a multi-strain probiotic complex or placebo for 8 weeks. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS), bowel habits questionnaire, and IBS Quality of Life (IBS-QoL) instrument. Fecal samples were collected at baseline and at week 8 for gut microbiota profiling via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomic analysis using gas chromatography\u2013mass spectrometry. Probiotic supplementation significantly reduced the severity of abdominal bloating and its interference with quality of life, and improved the body image domain of the IBS-QoL. Beta diversity analysis showed significant temporal shifts in the probiotic group, while 16S rRNA sequencing revealed an increased relative abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Blautia stercoris. Fecal metabolomic analysis further indicated elevated levels of metabolites implicated in the gut\u2013brain axis. Multi-strain probiotic supplementation alleviated gastrointestinal symptoms and improved aspects of psychosocial well-being in adults with FBDs, potentially through modulation of the human gut microbiome.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms13102283","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,30]],"date-time":"2025-09-30T14:16:29Z","timestamp":1759241789000},"page":"2283","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Therapeutic Modulation of the Gut Microbiome by Supplementation with Probiotics (SCI Microbiome Mix) in Adults with Functional Bowel Disorders: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2788-1157","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Won Yeong","family":"Bang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ILDONG Bioscience, Pyeongtaek-si 17957, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0375-7175","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jin Seok","family":"Moon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ILDONG Bioscience, Pyeongtaek-si 17957, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hayoung","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ILDONG Bioscience, Pyeongtaek-si 17957, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Han Bin","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ILDONG Bioscience, Pyeongtaek-si 17957, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Donggyu","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Minhye","family":"Shin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0781-3608","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Young Hoon","family":"Jung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jongbeom","family":"Shin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3836-729X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jungwoo","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, 123 Dongdae-ro, Gyeongju 38066, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bpg.2016.01.003","article-title":"Probiotics in functional bowel disorders","volume":"30","author":"Hod","year":"2016","journal-title":"Best Pract. 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