Table 1.
The following are examples (not exclusive) of probiotic products, or web sites listing products, with documentation in human studies that may have relevance to reducing the burden of the coronavirus pandemic.
| Products | Basis for inclusion | When to administer | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001; DanActive/Actimel Fermented drink, Danone | Reduced incidence and duration of RTIs | Once daily for duration of the pandemic | (12, 13) |
| Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3, and B. bifidum MF 20/5; Tribion harmonis, Merck | Lowering duration and severity of flu-like illness | Once daily for duration of the pandemic | (16) |
| Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG; Culturelle or other brand names | For digestive health and gut barrier integrity, and prevention of viral RTIs | One capsule daily for duration of the pandemic | (17) |
| Lactobacillus plantarum DR7; Malaysia | Prevention of upper RTIs, immune modulation | 2 g sachet per day for duration of pandemic | (25) |
| Bifidobacterium breve Yakult, and Lactobacillus casei Shirota; available as fermented drinks | Lower incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia | One of each day for duration of the pandemic | (26) |
| Bifidobacterium longum BB536; Morinaga, and sold in many formulations | Enhances innate immunity, prevents influenza infection | One each day for duration of the pandemic | (19) |
| Pediococcus pentosaceus 5-33:3, Leuconostoc mesenteroides 32-77:1, L. paracasei ssp. paracasei 19, L. plantarum 2,362 plus inulin, oat bran, pectin, and resistant starch; Medipharm, Sweden | To reduce rate of SIRS, infections, sepsis, days of stay in the intensive care unit, days under mechanical ventilation, and mortality | For COVID-19 patients | (27) |
| A list of probiotics available in Canada for various health issues; www.probioticchart.ca | |||
| A list of probiotics available in the USA for various health issues; www.usprobioticguide.com | |||
We must emphasize that none have been tested or proven to have an effect against SARS-CoV2, the virus causing COVID-19, nor are they proven treatments or cures for this condition.