Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) and IBS
What 4 graded rows on lactobacillus plantarum 299v (lp299v) agree on for IBS, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) and IBS
4 rows · 856 peopleMostly an improvement: 3 of 4 rows, and most of the people. 1 found no difference.
- BGrade B× 2
- CGrade C× 1
- DGrade D× 1
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 9
- People
- 856
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
Where they differ
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a meta-analysis of 521 people (2026) and found an improvement.
The 3 rows that found an improvement were larger: a median of 214 people, against 81 people for the row that found no difference.
Only the 3 rows that found an improvement include pooled reviews of several trials (1 of 3); the row that found no difference is a single study.
The row that found no difference ran longer (8 weeks) than the 3 rows that found an improvement (4 weeks).
The best grade is B among the rows that found an improvement, and C among the row that found no difference.
The rows
3 improved · 1 no difference- BGrade BIBS symptoms (abdominal pain severity, incomplete evacuation, symptom-improvement rates) · Improved
Meta-analysis, 6 studies · n 521 · 2026 · Patients with IBS in 6 placebo-controlled trials of L. plantarum 299v alone (Sweden, Poland, France/India, South Africa, Pakistan)
10–50 billion CFU a day across the included trials (full-text Table 1) · 4–8 weeks
Pooled results showed less severe abdominal pain and less feeling of incomplete evacuation, and more patients reported significant improvement in pain, flatulence and overall digestive symptoms than with placebo. Bloating severity and constipation resolution did not differ. Adverse effects did not differ from placebo.
Row on the Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) page · PubMed 41682832 (opens PubMed)
- BGrade BAbdominal pain and bloating in IBS · Improved
RCT · n 214 · 2012 · Patients with IBS (Rome III)
One capsule daily (10 billion CFU per capsule, per the full text) · 4 weeks
Pain severity (0.68 vs 0.92) and daily pain frequency (1.01 vs 1.71) were lower than with placebo (p<0.05), with similar results for bloating; 78.1% vs 8.1% rated the effect excellent or good.
Row on the Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) page · PubMed 22912552 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DIBS abdominal pain and overall symptoms · Improved
RCT · n 40 · 2001 · Patients with IBS
Not stated in the abstract · 4 weeks
All 20 on LP299V reported resolution of abdominal pain vs 11 of 20 on placebo (p=0.0012); overall IBS symptoms improved in 95% vs 15%.
Row on the Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) page · PubMed 11711768 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CAbdominal pain relief in IBS · No difference
RCT · n 81 · 2014 · Adults with IBS (Rome II) at a referral hospital in South Africa
Two capsules of 5 billion CFU daily (10 billion CFU) · 8 weeks
No difference from placebo in abdominal pain relief (p=0.80) or IBS quality of life (p=0.69); pain fell in both groups, indicating a large placebo effect.
Row on the Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) page · PubMed 25194614 (opens PubMed)