Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition. Its symptoms can include stomach pain, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation.
It’s estimated that 5–20% of people in the United Kingdom have IBS, which is typically a lifelong condition. There are different ways to manage it, depending on the type you have and what triggers your symptoms.
Probiotics can be a part of the management strategy – for some people, they can ease IBS symptoms. This is supported by a substantial body of research that has looked at many different types of probiotics.
Read on to discover which probiotics can help with different IBS symptoms. You’ll also learn how quickly they can improve symptoms, whether there are side effects and what other approaches will work.
How do probiotics help with IBS?
Probiotic supplements come in many forms, including powders, liquids and capsules. They contain live bacteria or other microbes that can improve your health.
Probiotics can work in several ways. They compete with pathogens for space in your gut, making it harder for these harmful microbes to grow. This is good because it tips the balance in favour of friendly gut microbes, which are important for your health.
Probiotics can also release beneficial compounds, such as short-chain fatty acids.
Having a good range of gut microbes supports your immune system and digestion. This diversity likely also plays an important role in supporting many organs in your body.
All of this is good news if you have IBS. No one knows exactly what causes the condition, but researchers have linked it with an imbalanced gut microbiome.
Your gut microbiome is the collection of microbes in your gut. Taking probiotics can help promote the presence of friendly microbes and restore the balance of this microbial community.
Plenty of research shows that probiotics can help ease IBS symptoms, and health authorities have taken note: both the NHS and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence confirm that probiotics can be helpful if you have IBS. We’ll dive into the details below.
What are the best probiotics for IBS?
Before we look at specific symptoms, let’s explore the research about probiotics and IBS more broadly.
In some studies, researchers asked participants with IBS to report whether they felt better overall after taking a probiotic. There’s evidence that probiotics can help with what scientists call ‘global symptoms.’
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 clinical studies involving over 3,000 people with IBS found that nearly half of the participants who took probiotics reported improvements in their symptoms.
Around 500 participants who took a placebo also reported an improvement, but the people who took probiotics saw improvements at a significantly higher rate.
Most of the studies investigated strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria. Some looked at other microbes, like yeasts, including Saccharomyces boulardii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
In the same review, the researchers saw significant quality of life improvements for people with IBS who took probiotics. Another recent meta-analysis of 35 studies echoed these findings.
Probiotics and specific IBS symptoms
As well as looking at global symptoms and the quality of life, some studies also investigated probiotics’ effects on specific IBS symptoms. Let’s explore the evidence.
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain is the most common IBS symptom, and people with all types of IBS may experience it. Some people also experience cramping.
A large review of 42 clinical trials found that four specific probiotics reduced abdominal pain. These probiotics were strains of:
- Bifidobacterium coagulans
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Saccharomyces boulardii
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Bloating
Most research into probiotics for bloating has involved people with IBS. There’s a lot of good-quality scientific evidence that probiotics can help with this symptom.
In a review of 70 studies, researchers found that a number of probiotics eased symptoms of bloating for people with IBS.
These include several strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, as well as other microbes, like:
More recent reviews of studies have found similar results.
You can learn more in our article on probiotics for bloating.
Constipation
Anyone with IBS can experience constipation, but it’s the most notable symptom for people with IBS-C. A doctor may also call this constipation-predominant IBS.
In a review of 10 studies, researchers found significant improvements in the consistency of stool for people with IBS. This means that those who took probiotics had softer poo.
These findings were echoed in a review of 17 studies. And in addition to improvements in stool consistency, the researchers saw that people with IBS who were taking probiotics had more frequent poos.
Both reviews included studies that looked at various strains of:
You can read more about IBS-C in this article.
Diarrhoea
There’s also evidence that probiotics can help with diarrhoea as an IBS symptom, though fewer studies have investigated this.
Still, medical guidelines assert that taking probiotics may help some people with IBS-D, which is diarrhoea-dominant IBS.
Most relevant studies have investigated strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, as have those looking into other IBS symptoms.
Overall, scientists need to do more research to determine whether specific probiotics can help ease diarrhoea from IBS.
How long until probiotics work for IBS?
When you first start taking a probiotic, it can take a little while for your body to get used to the new microbes.
UK medical guidelines recommend trying a probiotic for at least 4–12 weeks if you have IBS, to see if it eases your symptoms. They suggest taking the manufacturer-recommended dosage.
It’s helpful to record your symptoms and which probiotic you’re taking, to keep track of any improvements.
There’s no single probiotic that can help everyone with IBS. A number of factors are at play, including a person’s unique gut microbiome, the type of IBS, the specific symptoms and the product they’re trying.
But, as we’ve seen above, there’s plenty of evidence that probiotics can help many people with this condition. If your symptoms don’t change when you try one product, you could give another probiotic a go.
Can taking probiotics cause side effects?
You may feel some temporary discomfort, like wind, mild cramps or bloating. These should go away by themselves within a few days or weeks, as your gut adjusts to the probiotic.
The NHS states that probiotics are safe for most people and shouldn’t cause unpleasant side effects.
But if you have a weakened immune system or any underlying health conditions, it’s best to speak with a doctor before you try a probiotic.
What else can help with IBS?
Beyond probiotics, you can try these IBS management strategies:
- identifying which foods trigger your symptoms
- eating fewer of these and more foods that can help with specific IBS symptoms
- trying a low-FODMAP diet or the FODMAP gentle approach under the supervision of a doctor or dietitian
- taking medications for stomach cramps, constipation and diarrhoea
- getting regular exercise, like yoga, walking and gentle stretching
- practising stress management techniques, like breath work, journaling and acupuncture
For more ideas, check out our article on how to manage an IBS flare-up.
Summary
IBS is a common health condition that’s typically lifelong. There’s plenty of good scientific evidence that probiotics can help ease certain IBS symptoms for some people.
Probiotics contain live microbes that benefit your health. Probiotic supplements come in many forms, including capsules, liquids and powders.
There isn’t a single probiotic that can help with every IBS symptom. But research does show that certain probiotics can help improve abdominal pain, bloating and constipation for people with IBS.
There’s also some evidence that probiotics can improve diarrhoea, but scientists need to do more work here.
Meanwhile, studies show that people with IBS who take probiotics report improved overall symptoms and a better quality of life.
Most of the research has looked at strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. But other probiotic supplements – including those with Streptococcus, Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces – can also be helpful.
If you want to give probiotics a try, it’s best to stick with a particular product for at least a month, to see if it improves your symptoms.
Other ways to manage IBS include changing your diet, taking medication, getting regular exercise and practising stress management techniques.
To learn more about IBS and other gut health topics, visit Symprove’s Gut Hub.
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