Reduce Side Effects of Myeloma Treatment

Several probiotic strains have been shown in clinical and preclinical studies to reduce chemotherapy-induced side effects in cancer patients, particularly those affecting the gut, immune system, and overall inflammation. Here’s a breakdown of specific strains and the symptoms they help with:

🔬 Probiotics That Reduce Chemotherapy Side Effects

1. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG)

• Evidence: Human clinical trials

• Benefits:

  • Reduces diarrhea and gut mucositis

  • Maintains intestinal barrier function

  • Modulates immune responses

• Studies: Commonly used in pediatric and adult chemotherapy settings (e.g., for colorectal and hematologic cancers)

2. Lactobacillus casei (e.g., L. casei Shirota)

• Evidence: Human and animal studies

• Benefits:

  • Improves gut microbiota composition

  • Reduces mucositis, especially in gastrointestinal cancers

  • May reduce incidence of febrile neutropenia

• Form: Found in commercial drinks like Yakult (but note: sugar content matters for cancer patients)

3. Bifidobacterium longum

• Evidence: Preclinical and early human studies

• Benefits:

  • Supports gut barrier

  • Reduces systemic inflammation and oxidative stress

  • Potentially reduces severity of chemotherapy-induced colitis

4. Lactobacillus plantarum

• Evidence: Animal and small-scale human trials

• Benefits:

  • Prevents intestinal inflammation

  • Promotes mucosal healing

  • Reduces oxidative stress

5. Saccharomyces boulardii (a probiotic yeast)

• Evidence: Clinical evidence, particularly in antibiotic-associated diarrhea

• Benefits:

  • May reduce C. difficile-associated diarrhea

  • Helps stabilize the microbiome during intense treatment regimens

📈 Common Side Effects Mitigated

• Diarrhea (especially from irinotecan or 5-FU)

• Mucositis (oral and gastrointestinal)

• Infection risk due to gut barrier damage

• Inflammation and oxidative stress

• Dysbiosis and reduced short-chain fatty acids

⚠️ Important Considerations

• Immunocompromised patients (e.g., after stem cell transplant or during neutropenia) may be at risk of probiotic-related infections, such as bacteremia or fungemia. Always use under oncologist or infectious disease specialist supervision.

• Strain specificity matters — benefits are not generalized across species or genera.

• Use standardized formulations from reputable clinical brands.

✅ Suggested Formulas Used in Studies

• VSL#3 (a multi-strain probiotic used in IBD and oncology trials)

• Culturelle (LGG)

• Florastor (Saccharomyces boulardii)

• Visbiome (high-potency probiotic formerly sold as VSL#3)