Research project led by Bailey Hanna, MS, RDN - no affiliate links, ads or sponsored products.
One study investigated the impact of this 4-strain probiotic blend on an adult population with various IBS subtypes. (1) The findings were as follows:
Key Takeaway:
While this 4-strain probiotic blend has shown some promise in reducing bloating and flatulence in IBS patients, our independent analysis suggests that its overall impact, particularly on stool frequency, abdominal pain, and quality of life, may be less significant than initially reported. More research is needed to fully understand the therapeutic potential of this probiotic in IBS populations.
Dosing Instructions:
Trial Duration
References
There is insufficient evidence demonstrating benefits for IBS with this probiotic. Therefore, we do not provide guidance on finding a commercial product containing this strain/blend.
This probiotic has low to moderate quality studies in IBS populations supporting it. Quality is graded based on number of participants, study method, size of effect and 5 more variables. View our evidence evaluation framework
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A double blind randomized controlled trial of a probiotic combination in 100 patients with irritable bowel syndrome
Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2008;32(2):147-152.
No data
The number and consistency of stools showed no significant difference between the probiotic and placebo groups (data was not displayed).
The proportion of patients experiencing satisfactory relief of overall IBS symptoms and abdominal discomfort/pain increased over time in both treatment groups.
At week four, the percentage of patients reporting satisfactory relief was not significantly different between the two groups, with 42.6% in the probiotic group and 42.3% in the placebo group.
The study reported significant improvements in abdominal pain during the trial (P < 0.02 for all comparisons) across both treatment groups and all IBS sub-groups. It claimed that the reduction in abdominal pain between the first and fourth weeks was significantly greater in the probiotic group (−41.9% ± 44.6) compared to the placebo group (−24.2% ± 51.1, P = 0.048).
Additionally, there was a reported trend toward a lower abdominal pain score at the end of treatment in the probiotic group versus the placebo group (2.7 ± 2.1 vs. 3.3 ± 2.2, P = 0.054).
Our findings challenge the study’s conclusions. While the study reported significant improvements, our recalculated data did not confirm these results.
The decrease in abdominal pain score between the probiotic and placebo groups was not statistically significant (mean scores: 2.7 ± 2.1 for probiotic vs. 3.3 ± 2.2 for placebo; difference: -0.6; effect size: 0.28; not significant [ns]).
In the IBS-A subgroup, our analysis showed a more substantial decrease in abdominal pain for the probiotic group compared to the placebo group, but this difference only approached significance (mean difference: -1.1; effect size: 0.57; P = 0.07).
Bloating improved in both groups, with P-values of 0.013 and 0.028 for the probiotic and placebo groups, respectively. However, the study authors did not conduct a between-group comparison. In our independent analysis, we found the between-group difference to be statistically significant (p=0.0198; Cohen’s h = 0.48).
In contrast to placebo-treated patients, those supplemented with the probiotic combination reported a significant improvement in flatulence (P = 0.037).
However, the authors did not conduct a between-group statistical comparison. In our independent analysis, we found the between-group difference to be statistically significant (p=0.023; Cohen’s h = 0.46).
There was no significant difference in the evolution of quality of life scores (SF-36 and FDD-QOL) between the probiotic and placebo groups.
The study reported that individuals with constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) experienced a significantly higher number of stools in the probiotic-treated group compared to the placebo group.
This improvement was observed consistently from the first week of treatment onward (p = 0.043 at the end of the first week; P = 0.026 at the end of the second week; P = 0.049 at the end of the third week).
However, our independent analysis did not confirm these benefits in IBS-C. We found no significant difference between the probiotic and placebo groups (mean difference: 0.25; effect size: 0.34; not significant [ns]).
Similarly, in the IBS-A group, the study reported a significant decrease in abdominal pain (2.5 ± 1.7 in the probiotic group versus 3.6 ± 2.1 in the placebo group).
However, our independent analysis found that this difference approached significance rather than reaching it (mean difference: -1.1; effect size: -0.57; P = 0.07).