Abdominal pain is unnecessarily common. In the United States, 89% of adults suffer gas-related symptoms; nearly 1 in 7 experience bloating frequently. As this new study shows, natural help is on the way.
The new study looked at a combination of a wide variety of probiotics combined with a prebiotic. Lesser known than probiotics, prebiotics promote the growth and function of probiotics. In this study, the polyphenol-based prebiotic was pomegranate extract.
Probiotics are well established as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But there are a ton of people who have not been diagnosed with IBS who also suffer from gas, bloating and abdominal discomfort. This double-blind study looked at them.
The people who participated in this study were healthy American adults who suffered from bloating or indigestion. They were each given a placebo or 53.6 billion AFU (Active Fluorescent Units) of a multi-strain probiotic with 400 mg of pomegranate extract on an empty stomach, before breakfast, for 6 weeks.
Gastrointestinal quality of life improved significantly more in the probiotic/prebiotic group, with an 81.4% improvement versus a 72.1% improvement. Significantly fewer people in the probiotic group avoided food and significantly more enjoyed their food.
The probiotic/prebiotic group had significantly less bloating with a score of 16 versus the worse score of 21. The supplement group had a 54.3% improvement compared to 42.5% in the placebo group. 73.3% of the supplement group had no belly swelling versus 57.6% on placebo.
The probiotic/prebiotic group also had significantly less abdominal discomfort, with a 46.7% improvement compared to 37.5% on placebo. 76.2% of the supplement group experienced abdominal pain never or only one day per week
versus 63.6% of the placebo group.
Finally, the probiotic/prebiotic improved constipation. 79.2% of people taking the supplement had no or slight discomfort caused by constipation compared to 71.8% on placebo. 49.5% of the probiotic group improved their regularity and quality of bowel movements compared to only 34.2% in the placebo group. In people who actually had constipation, 52.6% of the probiotic group improved their bowel movement regularity/quality compared to 33.3% in the placebo group.
The probiotic/prebiotic was as safe as the placebo, and there were no serious adverse events.
This study is the largest study to evaluate a probiotic/prebiotic in people who do not have a condition like IBS. It demonstrated that the supplement safely and effectively improved bloating, abdominal pain, constipation and quality of life.
Sources:
1) Nutrients. 2026;18(2):255.