Big effect
Adding a probiotic cut diarrhea risk by 55% in a meta-analysis of 2,054 people on H. pylori treatment — but the evidence can't say which specific strain was responsible.
This is one of the first meta-analyses to show a large, statistically robust reduction in a common antibiotic side effect, but because the analysis lumped together many different probiotic strains without isolating Bifidobacterium breve Bb-18's unique contribution, the finding is a promising signal rather than a prescription.
A meta-analysis of 13 randomized trials found that adding Lactobacillus probiotics to standard H. pylori therapy reduced the risk of diarrhea by 55% (a relative risk of 0.45), an unusually large effect for a probiotic intervention. However, the same review found no benefit for vomiting, abdominal pain, or constipation, and it could not pinpoint which specific probiotic strains or doses produced the effect — so the headline result comes with a major caveat about precision.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on Bifidobacterium breve Bb-18 for Reduced Diarrhea — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
- Meta-Analysis
- n = 2,054
- 2025-12
- MicrobiologyOpen
- PubMed: 41327607
- DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.70166
- Full study breakdown →
This is a plain-language summary of a research finding, not medical advice. Pillser surfaces research signals to help you decide what's worth investigating — always consult a qualified professional before changing what you take.