Bifidobacterium lactis in fermented milk and plant-based diet tolerance
What it found
In people with gut-brain interaction disorders, a fermented milk product containing Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494 reduced flatulence and the number of times they passed gas while eating a healthy plant-based diet.
The study was open-label, so a placebo effect cannot be ruled out.
What they found
Studies in people
Plant-based diet effects
When patients ate the plant-based diet, their flatulence score rose from 5.8 to 7.1 and their daily gas evacuations increased from 16.5 to 22.4. Digestive well-being got worse.
Fermented milk product effects
After 28 days on the fermented milk product, the flatulence sensation score dropped by 1.6 points and daily gas evacuations fell by 5.3. Digestive well-being improved.
Gas volume after a meal
The volume of gas collected over 4 hours after a test meal did not change significantly: 139 mL before versus 153 mL during the product phase.
Colonic gas content
MRI scans showed no significant change in the total volume of gas in the colon: 208 mL before versus 191 mL during the product phase, based on 22 participants.
Gut bacteria changes
The overall gut bacteria composition did not change significantly. Some specific groups of bacteria did shift, and these shifts were linked to the improvements in gas symptoms.
Stool habits
The product did not significantly change how often people had bowel movements or the consistency of their stools.
What the authors conclude
“The consumption of a product containing B. lactis CNCM I-2494 improved the tolerance of a healthy diet in patients with DGBI, and this effect may be mediated, in part, by the metabolic activity of the microbiota.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that consuming a product containing B. lactis CNCM I-2494 improved the tolerance of a healthy diet in patients with disorders of gut-brain interactions.
- They suggest this effect may be mediated, in part, by the metabolic activity of the gut bacteria.
- They advise that treatment for these patients may benefit from an individualized combination of diet, prebiotics, and probiotics.
How it was done
Healthy plant-based diets rich in fermentable residues can cause gas-related symptoms in some people. The authors wanted to see if a fermented milk product with probiotics could help patients with these disorders tolerate such a diet better.
They gave 52 patients with disorders of gut-brain interactions a 3-day mostly plant-based diet before and after 28 days of eating a fermented milk product containing Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494 and lactic acid bacteria. 43 patients completed the study. Symptoms and gas evacuations were recorded, and stool samples were analysed.
What it can’t tell you
- This was an open-label study, so patients knew they were taking the product. A placebo effect on their symptoms cannot be ruled out.
- The study was not controlled, so it cannot prove that the product caused the improvements.
- The results are from a small group of patients with specific gut-brain interaction disorders, so they may not apply to everyone.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- B.L.N., J.T., M.D., J.M.F., A.C. and Q.D. are Danone Nutricia Research employees. F.A. has received unrestricted research grants from Danone Nutricia Research. Other authors have nothing to disclose.
- Authors work at
- University Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Spain; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Hospital Clínic, Spain
The paper
- Title
- A Fermented Milk Product Containing B. lactis CNCM I-2494 Improves the Tolerance of a Plant-Based Diet in Patients with Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Nevé BL, Martinez-De la Torre A, Tap J, et al (2021). A Fermented Milk Product Containing B. lactis CNCM I-2494 Improves the Tolerance of a Plant-Based Diet in Patients with Disorders of Gut-Brain Interactions. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu13124542Free full textPubMed 34960094DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error