Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 and protein absorption
What it found
In lab tests, animals and people, the probiotic Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 helped break down and take in protein.
It also eased muscle soreness and speeded recovery after hard exercise in small human studies.
What they found
Studies in people
Amino acids in blood
In a human trial, healthy people who took whey protein plus the probiotic for 2 weeks absorbed more amino acids, including BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, valine), citrulline and glutamine.
Muscle soreness and recovery
In recreationally trained men, taking the probiotic with casein for 2 weeks reduced muscle soreness and improved perceived recovery after a muscle-damaging leg exercise. Blood markers of muscle damage rose less, and peak power did not drop as much as in the group taking casein alone.
Athletic performance
A pilot trial in resistance-trained people found a trend toward higher vertical jump power when the probiotic was added to casein, but there were no big differences in body composition or other performance measures.
Animal and lab studies
Protein breakdown in lab
In a lab model of the stomach and small intestine, 70% of the probiotic survived. Adding it to milk protein increased the amount of digested milk protein available for absorption.
Protein use in pigs
Young male mini-swine fed the probiotic for 4 weeks used 10% more protein than pigs fed the same diet without it.
What the authors conclude
“The probiotic B. coagulans GBI-30, 6086 improves protein absorption and utilization and thereby optimizes the health benefits associated with protein supplementation.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that B. coagulans GBI-30, 6086 improves protein absorption and utilization and thereby optimizes the health benefits of protein supplementation.
- They suggest it could be used to improve muscle health in various populations and to reduce quality differences of protein sources naturally lower in leucine, such as plant proteins.
How it was done
The authors wanted to explain why this probiotic strain might help the body absorb and use protein from food and supplements.
They pulled together lab tests, a pig study, and small human trials. In people, healthy volunteers took whey protein with or without 1 billion CFU of the probiotic for 2 weeks, and resistance-trained men took casein with or without the probiotic for up to 8 weeks.
What it can’t tell you
- The human trials were small and some findings were trends, so they cannot prove the probiotic will work the same way for everyone.
- The pig and lab results may not carry over to people.
- The review does not show whether these effects last beyond the few weeks studied.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- RJ and MP have received research grants from Ganeden Biotech Inc. SF, HC and DK are employed by Ganeden Biotech Inc., which engages in business trade of B. coagulans GBI-30, 6086.
The paper
- Title
- Probiotic Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 Improves Protein Absorption and Utilization
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Jäger R, Purpura M, Farmer S, Cash HA, Keller D (2018). Probiotic Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 Improves Protein Absorption and Utilization. Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins. doi:10.1007/s12602-017-9354-yFree full textPubMed 29196920DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error