Use and Acceptance of the Clinical Guide to Probiotic Products Available in Canada and in US: Translating Scientific Evidence to Clinical Practice Since 2008

Dragana Skokovic-Sunjic
2021 Current Developments in Nutrition  
Objectives This clinical reference tool is independently designed to translate scientific evidence available up to date for commercially available probiotic products into practical, clinically relevant information, enabling clinicians to easily select the appropriate product, dose, and format for a specific indication. Methods Published studies with defined clinical outcomes for probiotic strain(s) were searched using defined inclusion criteria. Commercially available products containing said
more » ... rain(s) were identified, and the Levels of Recommendation were used to rate the strength of the evidence. This information was compiled into a chart form, assessed by independent expert reviewers. This guide is a clinical decision-making tool to assist health care professionals in providing evidence-based recommendations for their patients. In the case of probiotics, the clinical evidence supports only certain formulations/brand names of the probiotics (including the genus, species, alphanumeric designation or strain, number of live bacteria present, the blend of probiotic strains present, and finally, the non-active ingredients present). The authors made every attempt to include the published clinical data for the available probiotic formulations. Results In the clinical guide, the available strains were organized based on probiotic strain(s), doses, and evaluated evidence levels based on our pre-defined criteria. This document is easily accessible in print and digital formats (websites and mobile apps). Conclusions There is evidence to support the use of oral and vaginal probiotic products for various aspects of human health, however, applications and results are strain-specific and disease or symptom-specific. Due to frequent changes in commercial availability of probiotic strains, newly published evidence, and growing research, an annual review and updates of this Clinical Guide have been conducted since 2008. Lack of adverse effects supports the widespread use of these products, and further investigation is recommended. Funding Sources Abstract submission is supported by an unrestricted education grant provided by the Alliance for Education on Probiotics.
doi:10.1093/cdn/nzab054_038 fatcat:6wgzxcmj6neizddxnmjrmam7li