Probiotics for Constipation in Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gastroenterology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Constipation is a common and challenging non-motor symptom in Parkinson disease (PD).
• Current treatments for PD-related constipation may have limited efficacy or side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of multistrain probiotics for treating constipation in individuals with Parkinson disease.
• To assess the impact of probiotics on bowel movement frequency, stool consistency, and quality of life.

Main Methods:

• A 4-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving 72 Parkinson disease patients.
• Participants received either multistrain probiotics or a placebo.
• Primary endpoint: change in average spontaneous bowel movements (SBM) per week.

Main Results:

• Probiotics significantly increased weekly SBM by 1.0 compared to a decrease of 0.3 in the placebo group (p < 0.001).
• Improvements were observed in stool consistency and constipation-related quality of life (p ≤ 0.009).
• Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the probiotic group (65.6%) versus placebo (21.6%, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Multistrain probiotics are effective in managing constipation in Parkinson disease patients.
• Further research is warranted to explore long-term efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action.