THE IMPACT OF CONSUMING «KARPATSKY» PROBIOTIC YOGURT ON SYMPTOMS OF FUNCTIONAL GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS

<ns0:p>Functional gastrointestinal disorders, which are also called Disorders of GUT-brain interactions, are common conditions that significantly affect daily functioning and often require safe, non-pharmacological strategies suitable for long-term use. One promising approach involves probiotic yogurts, which may serve as an effective matrix for delivering live cultures with the potential to modulate the gut microbiota.This study aimed to evaluate the impact of two types of drinking yogurts produced with the “Carpaticus” starter culture (sugar-free and lactose-free) on the intensity of FGID symptoms. Sixty adult volunteers with mild to moderate FGID symptoms were enrolled and randomly assigned to two equal groups. Participants consumed the allocated yogurt twice daily for 30 days. Symptom severity was assessed using the IBS-SSS questionnaire on days 0, 10, 20, and 30.Both groups demonstrated a significant reduction in total IBS-SSS scores (p &lt; 0.001) with very large effect sizes (Cohen’s d &gt; 1.7), and 33.3% of participants in each group achieved remission (&lt;75 points) by day 30. Although the lactose-free yogurt group showed a tendency toward a greater absolute reduction in symptom severity, the between-group comparison of Δ (D30–D0) did not reach statistical significance (t = 1.83; p = 0.072).These findings indicate that daily consumption of yogurts made with the “Carpaticus” starter culture is associated with a substantial improvement in FGID symptoms and may represent a promising dietary strategy. Further randomized studies with an expanded design are warranted to confirm and extend these results.</ns0:p>