Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Reduced Duration of Diarrhea

Research synthesisLow evidenceMixed effect size3 studies · 2 beneficial · 1 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, 2 reported beneficial effects (one large, one small) and 1 high-quality RCT found no significant difference. Evidence predominantly supports reduced diarrhea duration in children, particularly at high doses (≥10^10 CFU/day), but effect sizes are mixed.

Effective dose range: ≥10^10 CFU/day
Studied populations: children with acute diarrhea or gastroenteritis

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. One large RCT (n=943) found no significant effect, while meta-analyses suggest benefit. Effect sizes varied widely.

Generated Jun 25, 2026

Doses used in studies

CFU/day: 10 billion–20 billion (median 15 billion, IQR 12.5 billion–17.5 billion) — 2 studies

Safety in these studies

Overall tolerabilityReported
The use of this strain in infant formulas for cow's milk protein allergy may promote an earlier tolerance acquisition.
from: Approach to probiotics in pediatrics: the role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.

3 of 3 papersPopulation:

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG versus Placebo for Acute Gastroenteritis in Children
- 2018-11-22
- RCT · n = 943
- New England Journal of Medicine 379(21)
- - D. Schnadower
  - P. Tarr
  - C. Casper
  - M. Gorelick
  - M. J. Dean
  - Karen J. O’Connell
  - P. Mahajan
  - A. Levine
  - S. Bhatt
  - C. Roskind
  - E. Powell
  - A. Rogers
  - C. Vance
  - R. Sapién
  - Cody S. Olsen
  - M. Metheney
  - Viani Dickey
  - C. Hall-Moore
  - S. Freedman
- PubMed: 30462938
- DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1802598
5 Insights on
- Reduced Duration of Diarrhea
- High evidence
- Large Human Trial
- Highly Cited
- Rigorous Journal
There were no significant differences between the L. rhamnosus GG group and the placebo group in the duration of diarrhea (median, 49.7 hours in the L. rhamnosus GG group and 50.9 hours in the placebo group; P=0.26).
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Significant
No
Dose
1×10^10 colony-forming units twice daily
Efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in treatment of acute pediatric diarrhea: A systematic review with meta-analysis.
- 2019-09-07
- Meta-Analysis
- World journal of gastroenterology 25(33)
- - Ya-Ting Li
  - Hong Xu
  - Jian-Zhong Ye
  - Wen-Rui Wu
  - Ding Shi
  - Dai-Qiong Fang
  - Yang Liu
  - Lan-Juan Li
- PubMed: 31543689
- DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i33.4999
2 Insights on
- Reduced Duration of Diarrhea
- High evidence
- Clinical
LGG administration notably reduced the diarrhea duration [mean difference (MD) -24.02 h, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-36.58, -11.45)]. More effective results were detected at a high dose ≥ 10^10 CFU per day [MD -22.56 h, 95%CI (-36.41, -8.72)]
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Large
Significant
Yes
Dose
≥ 10^10 CFU per day
Approach to probiotics in pediatrics: the role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.
- 2022-02-01
- Review
- Archivos argentinos de pediatria 120(1)
- - Christian Boggio Marzet
  - Fernando Burgos
  - Mónica Del Compare
  - Ingrid Gerold
  - Omar Tabacco
  - Gabriel Vinderola
- PubMed: 35068121
- DOI: 10.5546/aap.2022.eng.e1
5 Insights on
- Reduced Duration of Diarrhea
- Low evidence
- Children
L. rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii may shorten their duration and symptoms.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Reduced Duration of Diarrhea

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG versus Placebo for Acute Gastroenteritis in Children

Efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in treatment of acute pediatric diarrhea: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Approach to probiotics in pediatrics: the role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.