Probiotic Supplementation Improves Constipation
A recently published study reports that probiotic supplementation improves functional constipation and related symptoms. According to The National Institutes of Health (NIH), constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal problems, affecting approximately 42 million people in the United States.
Researchers studied 30 individuals diagnosed with functional constipation and 30 control subjects. The subjects received supplementation with a high dose, multispecies probiotic, which included Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus (VSL#3) twice daily for two weeks. The researchers evaluated stool samples before and after supplementation and collected data regarding changes in symptoms.
The subjects with functional constipation had significantly less Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides species in stool samples compared to the control group. Complete spontaneous bowel movements per week improved in the subjects with constipation after probiotic supplementation. Probiotic supplementation resulted in improvement in complete spontaneous bowel movements in 70% of subjects. Stool consistency also improved in 60% of subjects and abdominal bloating in 47% of subjects. After the subjects who had symptom improvement stopped taking the probiotic, 44.4% had recurrence of constipation mostly within one month.
The study authors stated, “Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides species might be quantitatively altered in functional constipation. A short-term VSL#3 treatment can improve clinical symptoms of functional constipation. Further studies are needed to investigate VSL#3's additional effects beyond altering gut flora to alleviate constipation.”
Reference:
Kim S, et al. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2015;21:111-20.
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