Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Bifidobacterium animalis has some scientific evidence supporting its use in reducing certain side effects of chemotherapy, particularly gastrointestinal symptoms. Chemotherapy often disrupts the balance of gut microbiota, leading to diarrhea, mucositis, and other GI complications. Several small clinical trials and preclinical animal studies have investigated the use of probiotics, including B. animalis (especially subspecies lactis), for mitigating these effects.

Some studies suggest that supplementation with B. animalis may help restore gut microbial balance, strengthen the intestinal barrier, and reduce inflammation, potentially decreasing the severity of chemotherapy-induced diarrhea and mucositis. For example, a randomized controlled trial in pediatric cancer patients (Wada et al., 2010) found that a probiotic supplement containing B. animalis reduced the incidence of severe diarrhea. Animal studies have shown that B. animalis can decrease markers of inflammation and improve mucosal health during chemotherapy.

However, the overall evidence base is still limited, with relatively small sample sizes and variability in probiotic strains and study designs. Meta-analyses of probiotics for chemotherapy side effects often include B. animalis among other strains, making it difficult to attribute effects to this species alone. Large, high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm its efficacy and safety in this context. Currently, use of B. animalis for this purpose is promising but not yet strongly established.

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