title: Irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity improves equally with probiotic and placebo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects ofLactobacillus acidophilusNCFM on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized triple-blind trial, adult IBS volunteers who were recruited according to Rome III criteria received 109or 1010colony-forming units of NCFM or placebo daily for 12 wk. IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS), which constituted the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes, including individual IBS symptoms, IBS-related QoL questionnaire, anxiety and depression, defecation frequency, and stool consistency, were assessed at baseline at the end of the 8-wk run-in period, after 4 and 12 wk of intervention, and after a 4-wk washout.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 340 of 391 randomized volunteers completed the trial. IBS-SSS improved over 12 wk of treatment in all treatment groups, decreasing by a mean ± SD of 44.0 ± 80.2, 50.8 ± 82.4, and 48.3 ± 72.2 in the placebo, active low-dose, and active high-dose groups, respectively. Similarly, secondary outcomes did not differ between treatment groups. However, in a post hoc analysis of volunteers with moderate to severe abdominal pain at baseline (VAS > 35/100), the treatment significantly reduced the sensation of abdominal pain. Pain scores fell by 20.8 ± 22.8, 29.4 ± 17.9, and 31.2 ± 21.9 in the placebo, active low-dose, and active high-dose groups, respectively (Pvalue for placebovscombined active doses = 0.0460).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NCFM alleviates moderate to severe abdominal pain, consistent with earlier observations of this strain mitigating visceral pain through increased analgesic receptor expression.
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lyra
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hillilä
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Teppo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huttunen
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Männikkö
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taalikka
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tennilä
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarpila
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Sampo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahtinen
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Arthur C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ouwehand
authors.affiliation: Anna Lyra, Julia Tennilä, Anneli Tarpila, Sampo Lahtinen, Arthur C Ouwehand, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Global Health and Nutrition Science, Danisco Sweeteners Oy, 02460 Kantvik, Finland.
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Veijola
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D059265:Visceral Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D011957:Receptors, Opioid
keywords: Abdominal pain; Functional bowel disorder; Intervention; Irritable bowel syndrome; Lactobacillus acidophilus; Probiotic; Quality of life; Symptom questionnaire; Visceral pain