Health & Fitness
11 min read
Groundbreaking GABA Probiotic Study: Better Sleep & Less Stress
PR Newswire
January 20, 2026•2 days ago

AI-Generated SummaryAuto-generated
A decentralized clinical trial found a GABA-producing probiotic significantly improved sleep quality and reduced stress in adults with sleep disturbances. The study, conducted by People Science and Verb Biotics, also demonstrated objective improvements in sleep metrics and confirmed biological activity through increased urinary GABA levels. This research highlights the potential of targeted probiotics for gut-brain health.
Wearable-enabled research from People Science and Verb Biotics published in Nature Scientific Reports
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- People Science, a leader in decentralized clinical research, today announced the publication of a clinical study conducted with Verb Biotics in Nature Scientific Reports. The peer-reviewed trial evaluated Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp815®, a next-generation probiotic strain designed to naturally produce gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter central to sleep and stress regulation.
The study found that daily supplementation with Lp815® significantly improved sleep quality, reduced stress, and increased urinary GABA levels in adults experiencing sleep disturbances.
"We came to the clinical trial side with our understanding of the microbiome and the population that we wanted to look at, and we quickly realized that when we were dealing with People Science, they were invested in the science that we were doing,"
— Dr. Noah Zimmerman, PhD Chief Scientific Officer, Verb Biotics
Key Study Highlights
Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, decentralized clinical trial
(Sterling IRB approval)
Duration: 9 weeks total: 1-week baseline, 6-week intervention, 2-week follow-up
Participants: 139 adults (51% female; 45% non-white) with moderate-to-severe sleep disturbance were recruited in 14 days, 89% completion rate.
Endpoints:
Subjective: Sleep quality (ISI), Stress/Anxiety (GAD-7)
Objective: Sleep duration and efficiency (Oura Ring)
Biological: Urinary GABA (mechanistic sub-study)
Results:
Significant improvements in sleep quality and stress vs. placebo
Objective improvement in sleep metrics
Increased urinary GABA confirms biological activity
Complete publication: Nature Scientific Reports (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-27861-6)
Advancing Science Through Collaboration
The partnership between People Science and Verb Biotics highlights advanced biotech and decentralized clinical research working together to tackle complex health issues. Using Chloe's fully integrated platform, this project produced solid real-world evidence while enabling participants to actively engage in scientific discovery, showing how research can effortlessly integrate into daily life.
Together, People Science and Verb Biotics are pioneering a new model for evidence-based innovation, where human insight, biological science, and modern technology combine to enable discoveries that were previously difficult to achieve outside of traditional clinical settings.
"This publication shows what's possible when biotech innovation meets modern clinical infrastructure," said Dr. Noah Craft, MD, PhD, Co-CEO of People Science. "We're proving that decentralized research can produce rigorous, publishable evidence, accelerating access to new health solutions that help people feel better."
About People Science
People Science is a technology-enabled clinical research organization pioneering the next generation of decentralized trials. Its proprietary platform, Chloe, enables rapid, scalable, and scientifically rigorous studies for innovators in consumer health and wellness.
Learn more: www.peoplescience.health.
About Verb Biotics
Verb Biotics is a microbiome innovation company developing targeted probiotic and postbiotic ingredients designed to enhance gut-brain health and overall well-being. Verb's science-driven approach leverages microbial metabolites as active mechanisms for human and companion animal health.
Learn more atwww.verbbiotics.com.
Press Contact
People Science
[email protected]
www.peoplescience.health
SOURCE People Science, Inc.
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