Saccharomyces boulardii and Reduced Duration of Diarrhea

Research synthesisModerate evidenceLarge effect3 studies · 3 beneficial · 0 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, all reported beneficial effects on reducing diarrhea duration, with effect sizes ranging from small to large. The strongest evidence (a meta-analysis of 1125 children) showed a large effect (reduction of ~1.6 days). The evidence base is small and primarily limited to pediatric populations with acute gastroenteritis; dosing information was not consistently reported.

Studied populations: children with acute gastroenteritis

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. The strongest evidence comes from a single meta-analysis; the other two are narrative reviews with limited detail. Dosing information was not consistently reported across studies. Effect sizes varied from small to large, with the meta-analysis showing a large effect. All studies focused on children; generalizability to adults is unknown.

Generated Jul 19, 2026

Safety in these studies

Overall tolerabilityReported
S. boulardii CNCM I-745 is an effective treatment for PAGE and was well tolerated in trials done in China.
from: Efficacy and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 for the treatment of pediatric a
Overall tolerabilityReported
S. boulardii CNCM I-745 being considered a safe probiotic for use in children and adults also finds recommendations in several international guidelines for the management of acute diarrhea.
from: Unique Properties of Yeast Probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745: A Narrative Revie

3 of 3 papersPopulation:

Efficacy and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 for the treatment of pediatric acute diarrhea in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
- 2025-06-04
- Meta-Analysis · n = 1,125
- Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology 15
- - Lynne V McFarland
  - Tong Li
- PubMed: 40535538
- DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1587792
5 Insights on
- Reduced Duration of Diarrhea
- High evidence
- Clinical
S. boulardii CNCM I-745 was found to significantly reduce the duration of PAGE (SMD=-1.63 days, 95% CI -2.08, -1.18)
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Large
Significant
Yes
Unique Properties of Yeast Probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745: A Narrative Review.
- 2023-10-01
- Review
- Cureus 15(10)
- - Sarath Gopalan
  - Sridhar Ganapathy
  - Monjori Mitra
  - Neha
  - Devesh Kumar Joshi
  - Krishna C Veligandla
  - Rahul Rathod
  - Bhavesh P Kotak
- PubMed: 37927652
- DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46314
3 Insights on
- Reduced Duration of Diarrhea
- Low evidence
Among Indian children with PAGE, S. boulardii CNCM I-745 was found superior to Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and four strains of Bacillus clausii in shortening the duration of diarrhea and reducing the length of hospital stay.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Large
Significant
Yes
The Efficacy of Probiotics as Antiviral Agents for the Treatment of Rotavirus Gastrointestinal Infections in Children: An Updated Overview of Literature.
- 2022-12-02
- Review · n = 19
- Microorganisms 10(12)
- - Andrej Steyer
  - Dušanka Mičetić-Turk
  - Sabina Fijan
- PubMed: 36557645
- DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122392
1 Insight on
- Reduced Duration of Diarrhea
- Low evidence
- Children
The main probiotics that were effective were Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, and various multi-strain probiotics. The underlying mechanism ... included ... shortening of diarrhoea.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes

Saccharomyces boulardii and Reduced Duration of Diarrhea

Efficacy and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 for the treatment of pediatric acute diarrhea in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Unique Properties of Yeast Probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745: A Narrative Review.

The Efficacy of Probiotics as Antiviral Agents for the Treatment of Rotavirus Gastrointestinal Infections in Children: An Updated Overview of Literature.