Systematic review and meta-analysis: Efficacy of patented probiotic, VSL#3, in irritable bowel syndrome
Connell M, Shin A, James-Stevenson T, Xu H, Imperiale TF, Herron J
Published in Neurogastroenterology and Motility
Methodology
Meta-analysis of 5 RCTs (243 IBS patients) pooling intention-to-treat data comparing VSL#3 with placebo, graded with GRADE.
Key Findings
No significant effect on bloating (SMD -0.15; 95% CI -0.40 to 0.11) or abdominal pain, stool consistency or quality of life.
Conclusions
VSL#3 did not significantly improve bloating or other IBS outcomes in pooled analysis - a null result for this specific formulation.
Limitations
Few small trials; low-quality evidence; formulation changes over time.
Supplements Studied
No significant differences were observed for abdominal pain (SMD = -0.03; 95% CI -0.29 to 0.22), bloating (SMD = -0.15; 95% CI -0.40 to 0.11)
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
Access Study
Disclosures
Funding
Academic/institutional
This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.