Probiotics

Do probiotics help with bloating and gas?

Updated 4 Nov 2026

Short answer

Perhaps in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the certainty is very low. In a 2023 review of 82 IBS trials, the evidence that mixes and Bacillus strains help bloating had very low certainty.[1] In 10 trials with 877 adults with IBS, gas fell with all the probiotics tested. Abdominal distension (a swollen belly) improved with products that contained Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus casei or Lactobacillus plantarum.[2] In another comparison, 3 strains and 2 mixes reduced bloating.[3] These reviews studied people with IBS, so their results may not apply to other people.[1] Gas can also be a side effect of probiotics.[2]

Sources (3)

  1. Efficacy of Probiotics in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Goodoory VC, Khasawneh M, Black CJ, Quigley EMM, Moayyedi P, Ford AC Gastroenterology, 2023. PMID 37541528
  2. Probiotics: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 2025. ods.od.nih.gov
  3. Outcome-Specific Efficacy of Different Probiotic Strains and Mixtures in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. Xie P, Luo M, Deng X, Fan J, Xiong L Nutrients, 2023. PMID 37686889

More about probiotics

What are probiotics?Do probiotics change your gut bacteria?Is a higher CFU count better?Which foods contain probiotics?What are probiotics used for?Do probiotics prevent diarrhea from antibiotics and C. difficile?

For education; not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you start, stop or change a supplement.