Effects of Probiotics on Diabetic Nephropathy: A Systematic Review

Vlachou et al., 2020 | Curr Clin Pharmacol | Systematic Review

Citation

Vlachou Eugenia, Ntikoudi Anastasia, ... Dimitriadis George. Effects of Probiotics on Diabetic Nephropathy: A Systematic Review. Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2020;15(3):234-242. doi:10.2174/1574884715666200303112753

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Diabetic Nephropathy is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus due to functional and structural modifications in multiple kidney compartments. Probiotics have risen lately as a forthcoming therapeutic intervention but they have not been systematically evaluated in diabetic nephropathy so far. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate randomized controlled trials and experimental studies assessing the effect of probiotic supplements on diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: An extensive literature search was conducted through electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cinahl and Medline) with the Medical Subject Headings and entry terms of "diabetic nephropathy", "diabetic renal disease" and "probiotics". The search yielded 116 results, 9 of which met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. RESULTS: Most of the microorganisms used in the studies belonged to the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genus. The dosage ranged from 2×107 to 6×1010 CFU/ g. The form of the probiotics varied across the studies (capsules, sachets, soy milk, kefir and honey). The majority of the studies demonstrated the benefits of probiotic supplementation on the reduction of inflammation, oxidative stress and on the amelioration of renal function biomarkers in subjects with diabetic nephropathy. No major gastrointestinal adverse events were observed during the intervention time with probiotics. CONCLUSION: Findings of this systematic review demonstrate the positive impact of probiotics on Diabetic Nephropathy without any major adverse events. Moreover, future larger randomized controlled trials with bigger samples and longer follow-up time are deemed necessary for further valid results on the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation on Diabetic Nephropathy.

Key Findings

Most of the microorganisms used in the studies belonged to the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genus. The dosage ranged from 2×107 to 6×1010 CFU/ g. The form of the probiotics varied across the studies (capsules, sachets, soy milk, kefir and honey). The majority of the studies demonstrated the benefits of probiotic supplementation on the reduction of inflammation, oxidative stress and on the amelioration of renal function biomarkers in subjects with diabetic nephropathy. No major gastrointesti

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population diabetic nephropathy
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition stress

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Bifidobacterium
  • Diabetic Nephropathies
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Lactobacillus
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Probiotics
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: probiotics

Provenance


Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09