Probiotics show potential for knee osteoarthritis symptoms but evidence is limitedProbiotics may ease knee osteoarthritis symptoms, review finds

This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of probiotics for knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The review included studies comparing probiotics (specifically Saccharomyces boulardii and LatiLactobacillus sakei LB-P12) versus placebo. Primary outcomes were KOA symptoms measured by VAS and WOMAC pain. Secondary outcomes included strain-specific superiority, joint stiffness, function limitation, and serum hs-CRP.

The authors found that probiotics showed potential for improving KOA symptoms, with both Saccharomyces boulardii and LatiLactobacillus sakei LB-P12 demonstrating possible strain-specific superiority. No significant adverse event differences versus placebo were reported, and no serious safety issues were noted.

Key limitations include small sample sizes and limited number of studies, which weaken the certainty of the findings. The authors did not report pooled effect sizes, p-values, or confidence intervals, making it difficult to quantify the magnitude of benefit.

Clinicians should interpret these results cautiously. Probiotics may have potential as an adjunctive therapy for KOA, but the evidence is preliminary and insufficient to recommend routine use. Larger, well-designed trials are needed to confirm these findings and establish clinical relevance.