Groundbreaking Remote Clinical Trial Shows GABA-Producing Probiotic Improves Sleep and Reduces Stress

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 at www.verbbiotics.com.

Press Contact
People Science
[email protected]
www.peoplescience.health

SOURCE People Science, Inc.