Lactobacillus acidophilus C4 and constipation in mice
What it found
In mice with drug-induced constipation, a strain called Lactobacillus acidophilus C4 improved bowel movements and gut function.
The study was done in animals, not people.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Bowel movements
In constipated mice, L. acidophilus C4 shortened the time to pass a marker through the gut and increased the number of stools, stool water content, and stool weight. It also improved the speed at which the small intestine moved contents.
Gut barrier
Constipated mice had lower levels of two proteins that seal the gut lining, ZO-1 and occludin. L. acidophilus C4 brought these levels back up, suggesting it helped protect the gut barrier.
Water balance
Constipated mice had higher levels of a water channel called AQP3 in the colon. L. acidophilus C4 lowered it, which may explain the increase in stool water.
Inflammation
Constipated mice had more of an inflammation-promoting signal (IL-1β) and less of an anti-inflammatory one (IL-10). L. acidophilus C4 reversed both changes.
Healthy mice
In mice without constipation, L. acidophilus C4 did not change body weight, food or water intake, stool output, or gut transit time.
What the authors conclude
“These results reveal that L. acidophilus C4 can improve constipation through anti-inflammation and restoration of intestinal barrier function, which can be a candidate strain for the development of novel interventions for constipation.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that L. acidophilus C4 can improve constipation by reducing inflammation and restoring the gut barrier.
- They say it could be a candidate strain for new constipation treatments.
- They note that it provides a new direction for probiotic-based treatment of functional constipation.
How it was done
The authors wanted to test a new probiotic strain they had isolated from a healthy child's stool, because existing constipation treatments can cause dependence and new options are needed.
They gave 32 mice a daily dose of either L. acidophilus C4, another probiotic (L. rhamnosus LGG), or a salt solution for 28 days. From day 15, most mice also received loperamide, a drug that causes constipation. They measured how long it took for food to move through the gut, stool output, and markers of gut barrier and inflammation.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a study in mice. It cannot show whether L. acidophilus C4 would have the same effects in people.
- The mice were given the probiotic before constipation was induced, so it is not known if it would help once constipation has already started.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China; National Institution for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, China
The paper
- Title
- Lactobacillus acidophilus C4 ameliorates constipation in mice
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Yan H, Jia Q, Liu J, et al (2026). Lactobacillus acidophilus C4 ameliorates constipation in mice. Microbiology spectrum. doi:10.1128/spectrum.02950-25Free full textPubMed 42117684DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error