Research synthesisLow evidenceSmall effect3 studies · 1 beneficial · 2 neutral · 0 harmful
Across 3 studies on Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 for reduced diarrhea, only 1 reported a statistically significant beneficial effect (moderate effect size), while 2 found neutral results with small effect sizes. The single beneficial study used a dose of 4 × 10^8 colony-forming units/day in hospitalized children aged 6–36 months with acute diarrhea. The evidence base is small, and the predominant effect across all studies is neutral with a small magnitude.
- Effective dose range: 4 × 10^8 colony-forming units/day
- Studied populations: children (2–5 years), hospitalized children (6–36 months) with acute diarrhea and dehydration
Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Many of the included studies did not reach statistical significance — effect may be smaller than the predominant direction suggests. One neutral study assessed healthy children in a resource-constrained community, while the beneficial study focused on hospitalized children with clinical dehydration, limiting generalizability.
Generated Jul 21, 2026