Singh, P K, Chopra, K, Kuhad, A et al. · Neurogastroenterology and motility · 2012 · DOI
This study tested whether a beneficial bacteria called Lactobacillus acidophilus could help reduce fatigue symptoms in rats. Researchers created extreme fatigue in rats through repeated exhausting swimming, then gave some rats either the bacteria alone or the bacteria packaged in special beads designed to survive digestion. The bacteria treatment reduced fatigue-like behavior and improved markers of inflammation and immune system stress.
This study explores the gut-brain axis as a potential mechanism in CFS pathogenesis and suggests probiotics as a possible therapeutic avenue. For ME/CFS patients, understanding whether microbiota interventions can reduce inflammatory markers and fatigue symptoms could open new treatment options, especially if findings translate to human studies.
This animal model study does not prove that probiotics will work in humans with ME/CFS, nor does it establish that the fatigue induced in rats is truly equivalent to human CFS pathophysiology. The study correlates LAB administration with reduced fatigue markers but does not definitively prove that the bacteria mechanism is responsible for the improvement rather than other factors.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Singh, P K, Chopra, K, Kuhad, A, & Kaur, I P (2012). Role of Lactobacillus acidophilus loaded floating beads in chronic fatigue syndrome: behavioral and biochemical evidences.. Neurogastroenterology and motility. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2982.2011.01861.x
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-singh-2012-role-lactobacillus,
author = {Singh, P K and Chopra, K and Kuhad, A and Kaur, I P},
title = {Role of Lactobacillus acidophilus loaded floating beads in chronic fatigue syndrome: behavioral and biochemical evidences.},
journal = {Neurogastroenterology and motility},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1111/j.1365-2982.2011.01861.x},
note = {PubMed: 22296294},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/singh-2012-role-lactobacillus},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/singh-2012-role-lactobacillus
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