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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Nov 14.
Published in final edited form as: Ageing Res Rev. 2018 May 25;46:42–59. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2018.05.004

Table 5.

General characteristics of randomized controlled trials testing the effect of probiotics supplementation on IL-6 and CRP.

Study N Age
(years)^ 		BMI
(kg/m2)^ 		Population/Health status Duratio
n		 Intervention Baseline
levels^ 		Δ levels
from
baseline^
IL-6 (pg/ml) studies
Valentini et al. (2015) DIET: 31
DIET+VSL#
3: 31		 70.1±3.9 26.8±3.6 Healthy persons
aged 65–85 years		 8 weeks Web-based
dietary advice
(RISTOMED
platform)
alone or with
supplementati
on of VSL#3
(2 cps/d)
112.5×109
CFU/capsule		 DIET:
29.9±9.1
DIET+VSL#
3: 12.3±1.8		 DIET: +4.8
DIET+VSL#
3: +5.4
Feher et al.(2014) INT: 20
CNT: 20		 INT:
45.15±4.7
3
CNT:
45.95±6.6
5		 - Patients with
irritable eye
syndrome		 8 weeks three
softgels/d
each
containing
lysate of L.
acidophilus
(1.25×109
CFU) and B.
longum
(1.35×109
CFU) vs
control group
(cod liver oil)		 INT:
17.42±10.52
CNT:
17.21±5.26		 INT: −
4.55***
CNT: +0.1
Mohamadshahi et al.(2014) INT: 22
CNT: 22		 INT:
53±5.9
CNT:
49±7.08		 INT:
28.36±4.
14
CNT:
29.22±3.
2		 Patients with
T2DM		 8 weeks 300 g/d
probiotic and
conventional
yogurts with
L. delbrueckii
subsp.
bulgaricus
and S.
thermophilus.
The probiotic
yogurt also
enriched with
B. animalis
subsp. lactis
Bb12 and L.
acidophilus
strain La5
(3.7 × 106
CFU/g of
both)		 INT:
22.6±2.81
CNT:
23.64±3.31		 INT: −0.42
CNT: +0.55
Mazloom et al. (2013) INT: 16
PLA: 18		 INT:
55.4±8
PLA:
51.8±10.2		 INT:
27.97±3.
81
PLA:
27.24±2.
73		 Patients with
T2DM		 6 weeks probiotic
capsules (L.
acidophilus,
L. bulgaricus,
L. bifidum,
and L. casei)
1500 mg/ bid
vs placebo
(1000 mg
magnesium
stearate/ bid)		 INT:
4.51±0.45
PLA:
4.38±0.80		 INT: −0.68
PLA: −1.29*
CRP (mg/L) studies
Valentini et al. (2015) DIET: 31
DIET+VSL#
3: 31		 70.1±3.9 26.8±3.6 Healthy persons
aged 65–85 years		 8 weeks Web-based
dietary advice
(RISTOMED
platform)
alone or with
supplementati
on of VSL#3
(2 cps/d)		 DIET:
3.6±0.6
DIET+VSL#
3: 2.9±0.7		 DIET: +0.2
DIET+VSL#
3:
−0.5
Rajkumar et al. (2014) PRO: 15
ω3: 15
PRO+ω3: 15
PLA: 15		 49 28.79 Overweight
healthy adults		 6 weeks VSL#3 1
cps/d
(112.5×109
CFU/capsule),
omega-3:
180 mg EPA
+ 120 mg
DHA/d,
VSL#3+
omega-3 or
placebo		 PRO:
5.60±0.52
ω3:
5.60±0.74
PRO+ω3:
6.20±0.41
PLA:
5.30±0.58		 PRO:
−1.24**
ω3: −0.34*
PRO+ω3:
−1.90**
PLA: +0.05
Mohamadshahi et al.(2014) INT: 22
CNT: 22		 INT:
53±5.9
CNT:
49±7.08		 INT:
28.36±4.
14
CNT:
29.22±3.
2		 Patients with
T2DM		 8 weeks 300 g/d
probiotic and
conventional
yogurts with
L. delbrueckii
subsp.
bulgaricus
and S.
thermophilus.
The probiotic
yogurt also
enriched with
B. animalis
subsp. lactis
Bb12 and L.
acidophilus
strain La5
(3.7×106
CFU/g of
both)		 INT:
3.26±1.36
CNT:
3.08±1.54		 INT: −0.46
CNT: +0.21
Mazloom et al. (2013) INT: 16
PLA: 18		 INT:
55.4±8
PLA:
51.8±10.2		 INT:
27.97±3.
81
PLA:
27.24±2.
73		 Patients with
T2DM		 6 weeks probiotic probiotic
capsules (L.
acidophilus,
L. bulgaricus,
L. bifidum,
and L. casei)
1500 mg/ bid
vs placebo
(1000 mg
magnesium
stearate/ bid)		 INT:
3.17±0.7
PLA:
2.17±0.41		 INT: +1.16
PLA: +1.89

IL= interleukin, CRP= C-reactive protein, N= number of participants, Δ= change, INT= intervention, CNT= control, PLA= placebo, PRO= probiotics, ω3= omega-3, T2DM= type 2 diabetes.

^

All values are means (± standard deviation (SD)).

Change data are defined as the follow-up minus the baseline value.

*

: p< 0.05

**

: p< 0.01

***

: p< 0.001.