2020 Volume 73 Issue 2 Pages 61-66
A total of 100 taxi drivers under job stress were randomly assigned to either an experimental group who consumed yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1, or a control group who did not consume yogurt (n＝50/50). Each of the consumers was given 112 mL yogurt per day for 12 weeks between July 11 and October 5, 2016. Stress was evaluated in terms of the total score for a stress check list (SCL) and the major symptoms of stress were estimated separately using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The subjects also completed a questionnaire about bowel movements based on the Japanese version of the constipation assessment scale (J-CAS). After 12 weeks, in comparison with the control group (n＝47) , the yogurt consumers (n＝39) showed significant reductions in 1) the total SCL scores, 2) the degree of “dizziness or lightheadedness” and “fatigue” on the VAS, and 3) the degree of “less frequent bowel movements” and “diarrhea or liquid bowel movements” on the J-CAS. They also showed a significant improvement of “clear-headedness” and “sleep quality” on the VAS. These results suggest that the health and wellness of taxi drivers under job stress during the summer could be improved by consumption of yogurt fermented with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus OLL1073R-1.
