The clinical effects of probiotic supplementations on metabolic syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background/Objectives Probiotics have attracted much attention due to their ability to modulate nutrient metabolism or immunomodulatory. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of probiotic supplementation in the treatment of metabolic syndrome. Methods PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched searched for eligible clinical trials published from database inception to July 2024. STATA/SE 14.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results A total of 12 clinical trials with 633 patients diagnosed with metabolic syndrome were included. The intervention group received probiotic supplementations. The control group received placebo. HDL level was significantly higher with probiotic supplementation than that in the placebo group (WMD = 1.63 mg/dL, 95%CI: [−0.10, 3.36], p = 0.065; I2 = 89.7%, p < 0.001). LDL level was significantly lower with probiotic supplementation than that in the placebo group (WMD = −0.59 mg/dL, 95%CI: [−1.17, −0.02], p = 0.044; I2 = 33.4%, p = 0.123). For age ≤50 years, probiotics supplement inhibited the serum triglyceride levels (WMD = −10.75 mg/dL, 95%CI: [−22.17, 0.67], p = 0.065; I2 = 77.8%, p < 0.001). Significant difference was observed in glucose (WMD = −0.58 mg/dL, 95%CI: [−1.15, −0.02], p = 0.043; I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.966), whereas no significant difference was observed in total cholesterol between two groups (WMD = 1.80 mg/dL, 95%CI: [−5.37, 8.98], p = 0.622; I2 = 87.4%, p < 0.001). Conclusion This study indicates that probiotic supplementation shows potential therapeutic benefit in metabolic syndrome. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42025628477.