Irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity improves equally with probiotic and placebo.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To determine the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and quality of life (QoL).

Methods

In this randomized triple-blind trial, adult IBS volunteers who were recruited according to Rome III criteria received 10⁹ or 10¹⁰ colony-forming units of NCFM or placebo daily for 12 wk. IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS), which constituted the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes, including individual IBS symptoms, IBS-related QoL questionnaire, anxiety and depression, defecation frequency, and stool consistency, were assessed at baseline at the end of the 8-wk run-in period, after 4 and 12 wk of intervention, and after a 4-wk washout.

Results

A total of 340 of 391 randomized volunteers complet

SUBMITTER: Lyra A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5192275 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature