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Beneficial Effect of Heat-Killed Lactic Acid Bacterium Lactobacillus johnsonii No. 1088
A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group clinical study was conducted to examine the effects of ingesting a heat-killed lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus johnsonii No. 1088 (LJ88) on temporal gastroesophageal reflux-related symptoms in healthy volunteers.
A total of 120 healthy Japanese volunteers of both sexes, aged between 21 and 63 years, participated in the study. They were not diagnosed with functional dyspepsia according to the Rome IV classification but had symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. They were randomly assigned to either the LJ88 or placebo group and instructed to ingest the test food (1 billion heat-killed LJ88 or placebo) once a day for six weeks.
Key Findings
- Gastroesophageal reflux-related symptoms were evaluated using the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (FSSG) scores as a primary endpoint.
- Heartburn score was significantly improved at 6 weeks in the LJ88 group compared to the placebo group based on the FSSG evaluation.
- There were no severe adverse events related to the ingestion of LJ88.
In conclusion, daily ingestion of heat-killed LJ88 was found to improve temporal heartburn symptoms in non-diseased individuals, providing a safe and effective potential solution for managing these symptoms.
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