Zhang, Liang, Ni, Xue, Jiang, Minzhi et al. · Microorganisms · 2024 · DOI
Researchers studied special strains of a probiotic bacteria called Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus to see if they could help with ME/CFS and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). After testing 21 different strains, they found that two strains (WL11 and WL17) reduced fatigue-related symptoms like weight loss, anxiety, and memory problems in mice with CFS-like illness, and also eased IBS symptoms like gut sensitivity and inflammation. However, these results are from animal studies, so we don't yet know if the same effects will work in people.
ME/CFS lacks approved pharmacological treatments, and emerging evidence links gut dysbiosis to symptom severity. This study provides mechanistic data suggesting specific probiotic strains may modulate immune and neurological dysfunction in CFS, offering a potential avenue for microbiota-targeted therapy that warrants human investigation.
This study does not demonstrate that these probiotic strains are effective in humans with ME/CFS or IBS—only in mouse models. It does not prove causation between the tested strains and symptom alleviation; the mechanisms identified may not translate to human physiology. It does not establish safety, optimal dosing, or long-term efficacy in any human population.
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 →
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