The Health Benefits of Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
What this study found
Overall, L. plantarum supplementation showed beneficial effects in several condition-specific outcomes, but the effects were not uniform across all endpoints. In periodontal health, the meta-analysis favored intervention for pocket depth reduction, with a mean difference of 0.128 mm for all teeth sites and a significant benefit in periodontally diseased sites with pocket depth greater than 4 mm (p < 0.001); the all-sites analysis was also significant (p = 0.047). Abdominal pain improved in four studies (p < 0.001), and lipid outcomes also favored L. plantarum, with significant total…
- Study & population
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of human studies in individuals with pre-existing medical conditions, including both adults and children.
- Intervention
- Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum supplementation, given either alone or in combination with other strains, was evaluated versus control across randomized trials.
- Key limitation
- Findings were heterogeneous and appear strain- and disease-specific, which limits broad generalization across conditions.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
To ensure effective administration of probiotics in clinical practice, it is crucial to comprehend the specific strains and their association with human health. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the scientific evidence on the impact of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum probiotic consumption on human health. Out of 11,831 records, 135 studies were assessed qualitatively, and 18 studies were included in the meta-analysis. This systematic review demonstrated that probiotic supplementation with L. plantarum, either alone or in combination, can significantly improve outcomes for patients with specific medical conditions. Meta-analysis revealed notable benefits in periodontal health, evidenced by reduced pocket depth and bleeding on probing (p < 0.001); in gastroenterological health, marked by significant reductions in abdominal pain (p < 0.001); and in infectious disease, through a reduction in C-reactive protein levels (p < 0.001). Cardiovascular benefits included lowered total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the L. plantarum intervention group (p < 0.05). Our study’s clinical significance highlights the importance of considering probiotic strain and their application to specific diseases when planning future studies and clinical interventions, emphasizing the need for further research in this area.