Effects of Probiotics on QOL, Nutritional Intake in Patients With Crohn Disease

Researchers assessed the effects of dietary supplementation with lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and Lactococcus bacillus on disease progression, remission, quality of life (QOL), and nutritional intake in patients with Crohn disease (CD). The study was a multicenter, randomized, single-blind controlled trial conducted at 2 medical centers in Beirut, Lebanon. Results were published in Nutrients.

Data were collected from 21 patients with CD who were randomly assigned to a control group (n=10) or a probiotic supplementation intervention group (n=11). At baseline and after 2 months of probiotic supplementation, participants underwent clinical assessments and WHOQOL-BREF evaluation and provided 24-hour dietary recalls. Follow-up visits included surveys on disease progression, QOL, adherence, adverse events and repeat body composition and anthropometric measurements.

Probiotic supplementation over 2 months did not significantly alter symptoms, flares, or hospitalizations in either the control or the intervention group; however, the intervention group experienced notable increases in body weight (P=0.01), body mass index (P=0.01), body fat mass (P=0.04), and arm muscle circumference (P=0.01).

Nutrient intake patterns differed between the groups. Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed increased consumption of calcium (P=0.01), riboflavin (P=0.04), and folate (P=0.013). In the intervention group, probiotic supplementation led to significant within-group increases in dietary fiber (P=0.01), total sugar (P=0.02), and caffeine (P=0.01).

Adverse effects in the intervention group were mild and included nausea (18.2%) and abdominal discomfort (9.1%). QOL significantly improved in the intervention group, particularly in physical (P=0.03), psychological (P=0.04), and environmental (P=0.003) domains, whereas the control group only exhibited improvements in the psychological domain.

“These results suggest that probiotics may have a more indirect role in managing CD, possibly through improving overall well-being, psychological health, and nutritional status,” the researchers concluded. “Given the complexity of CD and its multifactorial nature, probiotics may be most beneficial when used as part of a broader, individualized treatment strategy that includes medication, dietary adjustments, and other lifestyle interventions.”

Reference

Hoteit M, Hellani M, Karaja M, et al. Evaluating the efficacy of probiotics on disease progression, quality of life, and nutritional status among patients with Crohn’s disease: a multicenter, randomized, single-blinded controlled trial. Nutrients. 2025;17(4):708. Published 2025 Feb 17. doi:10.3390/nu17040708