Table 2. Characteristics of studies using probiotics in patients with constipation

Reference Country Patients Probioticsa CFU Treatment group: control group Duration Outcome
Del Piano et al., (2010) Italy Evacuation disorder L. plantarum B. animalis lactis 5.0 ×109 80:110:110b 30 days Increase in number of weekly evacuations in probiotics group
Fateh et al., (2011) Iran FC (Rome III) B. longum, B. breve, L. casei, L. rhamnosus, S. thermophilus, FOS 1.0 × 108 31:29 4 weeks Increase in stool frequency in men receiving probiotics
Favretto et al., (2013) Brazil FC (Rome III) B. lactis Bi-07 1.0 × 108 15:15 30 days Increase in stool frequency in women receiving probiotics
Mazlyn et al., (2013) Malaysia FC (Rome III) L. casei Shirota 3.0 ×1010 50:50 4 weeks Probiotics did not alleviate constipation severity, stool frequency, and consistency.
Waitzberg et al., (2013) Brazil FC (Rome III) B. lactis, L. paracasei, L. rhamnosus, L. acidophilus and FOS < 109 49:50 30 days Synbiotics improved stool frequency and consistency in constipated women.
Ojetti et al., (2014) Italy FC (Rome III) L. reuteri DSM17938 1.0 × 108 20:20 4 weeks Probiotics increased stool frequency. No difference in stool consistency.
Ding et al., (2016) China FC (Rome III) B. longum, L. acidophilus, E. faecalis, soluble fiber (Pectin) 3.0 × 107 48:45 12 weeks Synbiotic exhibited increased stool Frequency and improved stool consistency and constipation-related symptoms.
Cudmore et al., (2017) Ireland FC (Rome III) B. bifidum, L. rhamnosus, L. acidophilus, psyllium/inulin 6.0 × 108 35:34 4 weeks Synbiotics did not significantly improve stool frequency.
Ibarra et al., (2018) France FC (Rome III) B. animalis HN019 1.0 × 109/1010 76:76:76c 4 weeks No difference in stool frequency and consistency between the probiotics and placebo groups.
Lim et al., (2018) Malaysia FC (Rome III) B. lactis BB12, L. plantarum LP01, inulin-oligofructose 1.0 × 1010 43:42 12 weeks No difference in stool frequency and consistency between the probiotics and placebo groups.
Dimidi et al., (2019) United Kingdom FC (Rome III) B. lactis 1.5 × 1010 37:38 4 weeks There were also no improvements in stool output, symptoms, or quality of life between probiotics and placebo groups.
Martoni et al., (2019) Canada FC (Rome III) L. acidophilus, B. animalis lactis, B. longum, B. bifidum 1.5 × 1010 48:46 4 weeks No difference in stool frequency and consistency between the probiotics and placebo groups.
Botelho et al., (2020) Brazil FC (Rome IV) L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. lactis, B. bifidum, B. lactis 5.0 ×109 21:14 30 days Probiotics improved constipation-related symptoms.
Madempudi et al., (2020) India FC (Rome III) B. coagulans Unique IS2 2.0 × 1010 50:50 4 weeks Probiotics improved stool frequency and consistency.
Kang et al., (2021) South Korea FC (Rome III) B. coagulans SNZ1969 1.0 × 109 40:40 8 weeks Probiotics improved stool frequency and colon transit time.
Wang et al., (2021) China FC (Rome III) S. thermophilus, L. bulgaricus, B. animalis 1.0 × 1010 23:21 4 weeks Probiotics improved constipation-related symptoms.
Mitelmao et al., (2022) Brazil FC (Rome IV) Multiple combination of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium 8.0 × 109 51:51 30 days Probiotics improved stool frequency and consistency.
Takeda et al., (2023) Japan FC (Rome IV) and elderly (> 65) B. longum BB536 5.0 × 1010 39:41 4 weeks Probiotics improved stool frequency in elderly patients.
Wang et al., (2022) China FC (Rome IV) B. bifidum CCFM16 2.0 × 109 53:50 4 weeks Probiotics improved stool consistency.
Lai et al., (2023) China FC (Rome IV) B. animalis subsp. lactis HN019, L. rhamnosus HN0001 50:50 4 weeks Probiotics improved stool consistency and constipation-related symptoms, but did not increase stool frequency.
Ma et al., (2023) China FC (Rome IV) L. plantarum P9 1.0 × 1011 78:85 4,6 weeks Probiotics significantly improved stool frequency and symptoms.
Cheng et al., (2024) China FC (Rome IV) B. animalis subsp. lactis HN019 7.0 ×109 112:117 8 weeks No difference in stool frequency in probiotics and placebo groups.
Salo et al., (2024) Spain Constipation B. animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 2.0 × 109 23:23 4,8 weeks Probiotics improved stool frequency.
Jin et al., (2025) South Korea Constipation Multiple combination of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium 2.0 × 109 33:37 4,8 weeks Probiotics significantly improved stool frequency, consistency and symptoms.
Roos et al., (2025) Sweden Constipation L. gasseri 1.0 × 109 20:20 4 weeks Probiotics improved constipation-related symptoms in women.
Studies listing multiple probiotic strains represent multi-strain probiotic formulations.
80 subjects with placebo, 110 subjects with mixed L. plantarum LP01 and B. breve BR03, and 110 subjects with B. animalis subsp. lactis BS01.
76 subjects with placebo, 76 subjects with the low dose group, and 76 subjects with the high dose group.
CFU, colony-forming unit; FC, functional constipation; FOS, fructo-oligosaccharide.