Condition
C. difficile
C. difficile is a bacterium that causes severe diarrhea and colitis, mostly after antibiotics upset the gut's normal microbes and let it overgrow and release toxins that damage the intestinal lining. Probiotics, including a Lactobacillus combination, are the main supplements people look at, and a review found supportive evidence for them in lowering the chance of infection, though the evidence is limited. Much of that support came from animal or lab work, so it says less about how people fare.
Sources: PMID 29702133; PMID 24856984
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 1
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C. difficile Infection Risk A review of clinical evidence assessed the use of a specific probiotic combining L. acidophilus with L. casei and L. rhamnosus for primary prevention of C. difficile infections, finding supportive evidence. Preclinical work showed L. acidophilus modulates the virulence of C. difficile in vitro, providing mechanistic support. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | 300 people | ||
Studies that measured c. difficile infection risk
| ||||||
Key findings
- C. difficile Infection RiskImproves (the measure goes down)
The Clostridioides difficile Infection Prevention and Recovery protocol
2 primary supplements · 5 supporting supplements
- Probiotics (Saccharomyces boulardii)250–500 mg twice daily during and after antibiotic treatment
- Probiotics (Lactobacillus/Bifidobacterium)20–50 billion CFU daily (multi-strain formula)
Studies cited
3 studies from PubMed
- Primary prevention of Clostridium difficile infections with a specific probiotic combining Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, and L. rhamnosus strains: assessing the evidence
- Lactobacillus acidophilus modulates the virulence of Clostridium difficile
- Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. casei mix sensitize colorectal tumoral cells to 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis