ReviewProbiotics and antimicrobial proteins2026
Efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum on Body Composition, Lipid Profile, Liver Enzymes, and Inflammatory Markers in Overweight or Obese Adults: A GRADE Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials.
Review in Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) has been studied for its potential effects on obesity-related outcomes, but evidence remains inconsistent. This meta‑analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluated the impact of L. plantarum supplementation on body composition, lipid profile, glycemic indices, inflammatory biomarkers, and liver enzymes in non‑diabetic overweight or obese adults.
methodsWe systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov up to May 2026. Random‑effects models were used to pool weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup analyses examined strain type, intervention duration, and sample size. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 (ROB‑2) tool, and the certainty of evidence was rated using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach.
resultsSeventeen RCTs were included. L. plantarum significantly reduced body weight (WMD: -1.20 kg; 95% CI -1.92 to -0.48; P < 0.001; I²=47.4%) and waist circumference (WC) (WMD: -1.36 cm; 95% CI -2.27 to -0.45; P = 0.003; I²=58.5%) but not body mass index (BMI) (WMD: -0.25 kg/m²; p = 0.102; I²=82.8%). Greater improvements in body weight and WC were observed with multi-strain formulations, 12-week interventions, and sample sizes exceeding 50 participants. No significant overall effects were found for triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‑C), high‑density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‑C), fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, interleukin‑6 (IL‑6), C‑reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), or aspartate aminotransferase (AST). However, intervention durations longer than 12 weeks modestly improved lipid profiles. For glycemic indices, multi-strain L. plantarum reduced FBS specifically in studies with > 50 participants and a 12-week duration.
conclusionsL. plantarum supplementation, especially multi-strain and for at least 12 weeks, may modestly reduce body weight and WC. Evidence for benefits in lipid, glycemic, inflammatory, or liver enzyme levels is limited. Longer and larger trials are warranted.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42518167What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.