Synopsis

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

Bifidobacterium breve is a probiotic bacterium that has been investigated for various gastrointestinal health benefits, including its potential role in the management of diverticulitis. While the primary approach to treating acute diverticulitis involves antibiotics, dietary modifications, and sometimes surgery, there is growing interest in adjunctive therapies such as probiotics.

Scientific studies suggest that probiotics, including B. breve, may help restore and maintain a healthy gut microbiota, which is often disrupted in diverticular disease and during episodes of diverticulitis. Some small clinical trials and preclinical studies indicate that probiotic supplementation can reduce inflammation, modulate immune responses, and improve gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with diverticular disease. For example, a few randomized controlled trials have explored the use of multi-strain probiotics (sometimes including B. breve) as maintenance therapy to prevent recurrence of diverticulitis or to reduce the severity of symptoms in diverticular disease. These studies have reported modest improvements in symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain, and some reduction in inflammatory markers.

However, the evidence remains limited and somewhat inconsistent, with few studies focusing specifically on B. breve as a monotherapy for diverticulitis. Most available trials use probiotic blends, making it difficult to attribute the observed effects solely to B. breve. Systematic reviews and guidelines generally conclude that, while probiotics may offer some benefit in symptom management for diverticular disease, more robust clinical trials are needed to confirm efficacy and to clarify which strains are most effective. Thus, the current scientific support for B. breve in diverticulitis is preliminary and rated as 2/5.

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