Probiotics May Ease Constipation in Patients With Parkinson Disease

Evidence suggests probiotics may be effective for relieving constipation in patients with Parkinson’s disease, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published online in the journal Heliyon.

“The duration of the interventions in the included studies ranged from 4 to 8 weeks, with the results indicating that a response to treatment can be observed after just 4 weeks of probiotic consumption,” wrote a research team based in Iran. “These findings may be useful for neurologists and geriatricians in considering probiotics as a potential therapeutic option for managing constipation in Parkinson’s disease patients.”

The meta-analysis included three randomized controlled trials that addressed probiotics and constipation in patients with Parkinson’s disease. All of the studies addressed at least one index related to defecation frequency. 

The included studies were conducted in Italy and Malaysia and spanned a total 240 participants, of whom 136 received probiotics and 104 received a placebo. The mean age of participants was 70.76 ± 7.82 years, and the mean duration of Parkinson’s disease was 9.4 ± 7.35 years.

Researchers reported a standardized mean difference of 0.92, indicating a large effect in terms of bowel movements per week with probiotic treatment.

“Our results show that probiotic intake has beneficial effects on constipation in Parkinson’s disease patients,” researchers concluded. “Further research, including multicenter studies, is needed to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of probiotic supplements in neurodegenerative diseases.”

Reference:

Ghalandari N, Assarzadegan F, Mahdavi H, Jamshidi E, Esmaily H. Evaluating the effectiveness of probiotics in relieving constipation in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon. Published online March 4, 2023. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14312