Danisco Probiotics Shown to Reduce Bloating in Patients with Functional Bowel Disorders

The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the clinical effect, safety and tolerability of the two Danisco strains in patients with non-constipation functional bowel disorder.

5/13/2011 --- A recent study, published in the leading Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, supports the role of two Danisco probiotic strains in the management of functional bowel disorders.

A recent study1, published in the leading Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, supports the role of two Danisco probiotic strains in the management of functional bowel disorders.

Over the past few years epidemiologic, physiological, and clinical data have provided evidence that the intestinal microbiota play an important role in maintaining normal gastrointestinal function.2, 3
 
This first prospective study using a combination of L. acidophilus NCFM and B. lactis Bi-07 showed significant improvement in abdominal bloating when the subjects received the probiotic blend.
 
The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the clinical effect, safety and tolerability of the two Danisco strains in patients with non-constipation functional bowel disorder.
 
The trial enrolled 60 patients, 72% female with a mean age of 37 years. 31 patients received twice a day the probiotic combination of L. Acidophilus NCFM and B. Lactis Bi-07 (1011 CFU each) and 29 patients received placebo over 8 weeks.
 
During the course of the trial, patients were evaluated 4 times at a clinic and then 4 weeks after discontinuation of intervention to evaluate post-intervention effects.
 
The primary endpoints evaluated were 2 subjective endpoints. The first one, global relief of GI symptoms, was assessed by a score on a 7-point scale from “substantially worse” to “substantially improved”.
 
The second endpoint, satisfaction with treatment, was assessed by a survey. Secondary endpoints included change in the severity of specific functional GI symptoms including abdominal bloating, well-being (both scored on a Likert scale) and quality of life (IBS-QOL).
 
Analysis of the effect of the probiotic mix on individual functional bowel symptoms showed that bloating symptoms were less severe in the probiotic group compared with the placebo group both at 4 weeks (p=0.009) and 8 weeks (p=0.06). This was confirmed with change of the pre-intervention to post-intervention representing 15% reduction in bloating symptoms.
 
The study intervention of the daily consumption of L. Acidophilus NCFM and B. Lactis Bi-07 did not show a significant improvement over the placebo on global relief of GI symptoms and satisfaction with treatment. No significant adverse events were reported in any group.
 
Researchers concluded that this probiotic combination may be helpful to the management of patients with bloating symptoms.
 
Functional bowel disorders are the most common gastrointestinal disorders seen in primary care and gastroenterology clinics in the western world.4, 5
 
As the gastrointestinal system is increasingly recognised as an active immune centre and as digestive stress amongst consumers worldwide accelerates, the focus on probiotics has grown.
 
Danisco is an acknowledged pioneer within the probiotic field. The company continues to build science behind probiotic strains with gold standard studies on key digestive health endpoints and publishes in leading scientific journals.
 
References
1. “Probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 versus placebo for the symptoms of bloating in patients with functional bowel disorders – a double-blind study”, Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology 2011; DOI:10.1097/MCG.0b013e31820ca4d6.
 
2. Ringel Y, Carroll I. Alternations of intestinal microbiota and functional bowel symptoms in “gastrointestinal motility and neurogastroenterology”. Gastrointest Endosc Clin N. Am. 2009;19:141-150.
 
3. Arebi N, Gurmany S, Bullas D, et al. Review article: the psychoneuroimmunology of irritable bowel syndrome – an exploration of interactions between psychological, neurological and immunological observations. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2008;28:830-840.
 
4. Saito YA, Schoenfeld P, Locke GR III. The epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome in North America: a systematic review. Am J Gastroenterol. 2002;97:1910-1915.
 
5. Longstreth GF, Thompson WG, Chey WD, et al. Functional bowel disorders. In: Drossman DA, Corazziari E, Delvaux M, et al. editors. Rome III: The functional gastrointestinal disorders. 3rd edition. McLean (VA): Degnon Associates; 2006;9:487-555.