New evidence
Probiotics modestly lower inflammation in autoimmune diseases — meta-analysis of 12 trials shows moderate drops in IL-6, TNFα, and hs-CRP, but caveats remain
This meta-analysis provides the strongest evidence so far that probiotics like Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 may reduce systemic inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, though the effect is moderate and longer studies are needed to confirm durability.
A meta-analysis pooling 12 randomized trials (703 people with autoimmune diseases) found that probiotic supplementation modestly reduced several inflammatory markers, including IL-6 (down by 0.83 standard deviations), TNFα (down 0.41 SD), and hs-CRP (down 0.71 SD). The effects were particularly noticeable in rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. However, the authors caution that the trials were relatively short and varied in design, so the long-term clinical benefit remains uncertain.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on Bifidobacterium infantis M-63 for Reduced Inflammatory Markers — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
- Meta-Analysis
- n = 703
- 2026-03-30
- Nutrients
- PubMed: 41978157
- DOI: 10.3390/nu18071107
- Full study breakdown →
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