Evidence supporting the use of: Lactobacillus acidophilus
For the health condition: Diverticulitis

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Synopsis

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

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a probiotic bacterium commonly used to support gut health. The rationale for its use in diverticulitis is based on the understanding that maintaining a healthy gut microbiome may help reduce inflammation, improve intestinal barrier function, and potentially decrease the risk of recurrent diverticulitis episodes. Several small studies and reviews have explored the role of probiotics, including L. acidophilus, in the prevention of diverticulitis flare-ups. However, the evidence is not robust or specific to L. acidophilus alone, as most research investigates probiotics as a group or in combination formulas containing multiple strains.

A few clinical trials suggest that probiotics may help reduce symptoms or prevent recurrence in patients with diverticular disease, but results are inconsistent and often based on small sample sizes. Systematic reviews, such as those published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics and International Journal of Colorectal Disease, have concluded that while probiotics may have some benefit, the quality of evidence is low and no definitive recommendations can be made for routine use.

In summary, while there is a theoretical and preliminary clinical basis for using L. acidophilus as adjunctive therapy in diverticulitis, high-quality, strain-specific, and large-scale studies are lacking. Therefore, the use of L. acidophilus for diverticulitis is best described as scientifically plausible but not yet well validated.

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