Bacillus coagulans LBSC and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms in people
What it found
In 38 people with irritable bowel syndrome, Bacillus coagulans LBSC reduced bloating, pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, headache and anxiety compared to a dummy powder.
It also improved stool consistency over 80 days.
What they found
Studies in people
Gut symptom relief
People taking the probiotic reported less bloating, cramping, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, stomach rumbling, nausea and vomiting than those on the dummy powder. Headache and anxiety also improved more in the probiotic group.
Symptom severity scores
By the end of the trial, 63.16% of the probiotic group reported having no symptoms at all. In the dummy powder group, only 21.05% reached that point.
Stool consistency
Normal stools were seen in 63.15% of the probiotic group by the end of the study. Only 31.57% of the dummy powder group had normal stools at that time. No one in the probiotic group still had severe constipation at the end.
Safety checks
Vital signs, blood tests and upper gut camera checks showed no meaningful differences between the two groups. No serious unwanted health events were linked to the probiotic.
Daily life improvements
Questionnaires about daily life showed better results for the probiotic group. They reported improvements in pain, gut issues, mental well-being and how much their condition affected everyday activities.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that Bacillus coagulans LBSC was well tolerated and eased overall gut symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome.
- Their results suggest the probiotic improved stool consistency and daily quality of life over the 80 day period.
- The authors advise it could be used as a supplement to help manage this gut condition in adults.
How it was done
Irritable bowel syndrome affects many people worldwide, and current treatments like special diets or antibiotics have drawbacks. The authors wanted to see if this specific probiotic strain could ease gut symptoms and improve daily life.
They enrolled 40 adults aged 18 to 65 who had irritable bowel syndrome. Half took the probiotic at 2 billion spores three times a day, and half took a dummy powder, for 80 days. Two people dropped out, leaving 38 who finished the trial.
What it can’t tell you
- This trial lasted 80 days, so it cannot show whether the benefits last over months or years.
- Only 38 people finished the study, which is a small group, so the results might not apply to everyone with irritable bowel syndrome.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Advanced Enzyme Technologies Ltd. (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
- Authors work at
- Probiotics Laboratory, India
The paper
- Title
- Efficacy and safety of Bacillus coagulans LBSC in irritable bowel syndrome: A prospective, interventional, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study [CONSORT Compliant]
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Gupta AK, Maity C (2021). Efficacy and safety of Bacillus coagulans LBSC in irritable bowel syndrome: A prospective, interventional, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study [CONSORT Compliant]. Medicine. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000023641Free full textPubMed 33545934DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error