Research

Mixed

Specific next-generation probiotics and synbiotics (e.g., VSL#3, E. coli Nissle 1917, specific Bifidobacterium strains) show promising or beneficial effects in treating Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), unlike general probiotics.

For UC or NEC, generic probiotics may not work. However, specific strains like VSL#3 or E. coli Nissle 1917 have shown benefit. Consult a doctor for strain-specific therapy rather than buying random supplements.

ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
E. coli Nissle 1917 and the combination probiotic cocktail VSL#3 have been found to be most beneficial for UC prevention and treatment. Synbiotic, Bifidobacterium breve combining with galacto-oligosaccharide... also ameliorate UC... Previous studies have shown that Bifidobacteria species... showed a strong treatment effect in reduction of NEC by cumulative meta-analysis.
Yu‐Ling Tsai et al. · Journal of Biomedical Science · 2019

Why this rating

Based on meta-analyses and specific studies, but the paper notes 'magnitude of the effect... needs further validation.'

Source

Probiotics, prebiotics and amelioration of diseases

Yu‐Ling Tsai et al. · Journal of Biomedical Science · 2019

DOI 10.1186/s12929-018-0493-6

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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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