# Bloating VSL#3 and IBS



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYIAliment Pharmacol Ther 2003 Apr;17 7:895-904 A randomized controlled trial of a probiotic, VSL#3, on gut transit and symptoms in diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Kim HJ, Camilleri M, McKinzie S, Lempke MB, Burton DD, Thomforde GM, Zinsmeister AR. Clinical Enteric Neuroscience Translational & Epidemiological Research Program, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN, USA. AIM: : To investigate the effects of a probiotic formulation, VSL#3, on gastrointestinal transit and symptoms of patients with Rome II irritable bowel syndrome with predominant diarrhoea. METHODS: : Twenty-five patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome were randomly assigned to receive VSL#3 powder 450 billion lyophilized bacteria/day or matching placebo twice daily for 8 weeks after a 2-week run-in period. Pre- and post-treatment gastrointestinal transit measurements were performed in all patients. Patients recorded their bowel function and symptoms daily in a diary during the 10-week study, which was powered to detect a 50% change in the primary colonic transit end-point. RESULTS: : There were no significant differences in mean gastrointestinal transit measurements, bowel function scores or satisfactory global symptom relief between the two treatment groups, pre- or post-therapy. Differences in abdominal bloating scores between treatments were borderline significant P = 0.09, analysis of covariance. Further analysis revealed that abdominal bloating was reduced P = 0.046 with VSL#3 mean post- minus pre-treatment score, - 13.7; 95% confidence interval CI, - 2.5 to - 24.9, but not with placebo P = 0.54 mean post- minus pre-treatment score, - 1.7; 95% CI, 7.1 to - 10.4. With the exception of changes in abdominal bloating, VSL#3 had no effect on other individual symptoms: abdominal pain, gas and urgency. All patients tolerated VSL#3 well. CONCLUSION: : VSL#3 appears to be promising in the relief of abdominal bloating in patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. This is unrelated to an alteration in gastrointestinal or colonic transit.PMID: 12656692


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## docvelo (Jul 22, 2002)

Study funded by.... VSL Pharmaceuticals, Inc. No difference in any other symptom. No difference in proportion of patients with satisfactory response. Don't get too excited by this. May be a role for probiotics but this study (funded by those selling the product) doesn't blow anyone away.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

I recall that there was a study published in some European conference in November which had to do with probiotics helping bloating.


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