Background: Childhood and adolescent obesity are a global health concern, with unclear efficacy of probiotics as an intervention. Objectives: This meta-analysis evaluates probiotics’ effects on obesity-related metrics (body mass index (BMI), weight, lipid profiles) in children/adolescents (2–18 years) compared to placebo or no intervention. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for randomized trials up to October 2024. Data extraction and analysis were conducted employing weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) via fixed/random-effects models. Study quality, publication bias, and sensitivity were assessed. Results: Nine studies were included. Probiotics significantly reduced BMI (WMD: –1.57; 95% CI: –2.55 to –0.58; P = 0.002) but showed no significant impact on weight, waist circumference, lipid parameters, or other anthropometric measures. No publication bias was detected, and sensitivity analysis confirmed robustness. Conclusions: Probiotics effectively reduce BMI in obese children and adolescents, supporting their potential role in obesity management. This meta-analysis has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024610790).

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) influences several million people around the globe, with a high prevalence in North America and Europe. Results from the studies about host-gut microbial interactions demonstrated that gut microbiota plays a critical role in the progression of IBD, and probiotics can significantly improve microflora dysbiosis and inflammatory response caused by intestinal pathogens. However, several limitations existed for the probiotics delivered to the intestine in the free form (non-encapsulated), such as low pH and diverse digestive enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract, etc. To overcome the problems, several probiotic delivery systems were established and verified with effects. Here, the types and applications of probiotics in animal models and clinical studies are first reviewed in this paper. Subsequently, various types of probiotic delivery systems are elaborated, containing the well-known microcapsules and hydrogel delivery systems, and the engineered probiotic delivery systems are also introduced. Furthermore, mechanisms of action associated with probiotics are illustrated, including maintaining gut microbiota barrier balance, modulating the immune response, and alleviating oxidative stress, etc. Finally, we discussed the relative advantages and disadvantages of different encapsulation methods, as well as future trends for further development of probiotic delivery systems with health benefits.

This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant potential of bovine casein hydrolysate and a pure peptide screened from it. The casein hydrolysate obtained by pepsin digestion exhibited obvious antioxidant activity in vitro, including potent Fe²⁺ chelating and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) cation radical scavenging activities. A novel tetrapeptide, VRYL, was predicted and successfully characterized using in silico techniques and showed excellent ABTS cation radical scavenging ability, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.36 mg/mL, which is significantly lower than that of the original hydrolysate. Moreover, at the cellular level, VRYL effectively protected against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress damage in HepG2 cells and significantly reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. The peptide VRYL not only exhibited excellent antioxidant capacity in vitro but also demonstrated its ability to mitigate oxidative stress damage in a cellular model. This study provides a new theoretical basis for the development of casein hydrolysates and their derived peptides in functional foods.