Probiotic supplementation modestly elevated FEV1 and FVC while reducing CRP and TNF-α in COPD patients, though evidence certainty is limited by inter-study heterogeneity and variations in probiotic formulations and protocols.
Probiotic supplementation modestly but significantly increased forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in COPD patients compared to control treatments.
Probiotic supplementation significantly increased forced vital capacity (FVC) in COPD patients compared to control treatments.
Probiotic supplementation significantly reduced circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in COPD patients.
Probiotic supplementation significantly reduced circulating tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in COPD patients.
The certainty of evidence for probiotic supplementation in COPD is limited due to inter-study heterogeneity and variations in probiotic formulations, intervention protocols, and patient characteristics.
The study identified the gut-lung axis as the theoretical basis for probiotic effects on pulmonary inflammation in COPD.
This research suggests that taking probiotic supplements (beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) may help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) breathe a little better and have lower levels of inflammation in their bodies. The researchers combined data from 13 clinical trials involving 920 patients and found that those who took probiotics showed modest but statistically significant improvements in two key measures of lung function — how much air they can forcefully exhale in one second (FEV1) and total lung capacity (FVC) — compared to those who did not take probiotics. At the same time, two markers of inflammation in the blood, CRP and TNF-α, were meaningfully lower in patients who took probiotics. The biological rationale behind these findings is the 'gut-lung axis' — the idea that bacteria living in the gut can influence inflammation and immune activity in the lungs. Because COPD involves persistent inflammation that damages the airways, modifying gut bacteria with probiotics may help dampen this inflammatory process. However, the studies included in this analysis varied considerably in which probiotic strains were used, how long patients took them, and what doses were given, which makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions about what works best. This research suggests that probiotics could serve as a supplementary strategy alongside standard COPD treatments, but the overall certainty of the evidence is currently limited. The authors emphasize that larger, more carefully designed clinical trials are needed to determine the optimal type, dose, and duration of probiotic use in COPD management before strong clinical recommendations can be made.
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Upload Your LabsZhang Q, Zhang N, Zheng Y, Zhou J, Liu L, Dong G. (2026). Effectiveness of probiotic supplements in managing pulmonary function and inflammatory status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2026.106772