What the evidence says. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent.
What is Lactobacillus plantarum 299v?
Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (DSM 9843)) is a probiotic strain used for eases ibs symptoms — reduces abdominal pain frequency/severity and bloating (214-patient rct). NutriDex grades the human evidence as Moderate. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (DSM 9843) is among the best-characterized single probiotic strains, with its strongest randomized evidence in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), where a 214-patient double-blind RCT (Ducrotté 2012) showed significantly greater reductions in abdominal pain frequency and bloating versus placebo. Double-isotope crossover studies in women of reproductive age consistently show it increases non-heme iron absorption by roughly 50% when co-administered with iron, a claim that has undergone EFSA review. It also reduces Clostridioides difficile colonization and infection incidence in antibiotic-treated and high-risk hospitalized patients, and uniquely adheres to colonic mucosa via mannose-specific binding, displacing pathogenic E. coli. Evidence is moderate overall: trials are real and replicated for IBS and iron, but several are single-center or modest in size.
10 billion (1×10^10) CFU/day is the typical effective dose; IBS trials used one capsule daily over 4 weeks, and iron-absorption studies used 10^9–10^10 CFU taken together with the iron source. Available as freeze-dried capsules or fermented drinks; take with a meal (and alongside iron when used for iron status).
Active Compounds
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v = Lactobacillus plantarum 299v = Lp299v (DSM 9843)Branded as ProViva / GoodBelly fermented drinks and oat-based productsSold in capsules/sachets, often as freeze-dried powderCombined with low-dose iron (e.g. ~20 mg) in iron-support formulas
Safety & Cautions
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Well tolerated in trials, including in critically ill and surgical patients, with no excess diarrhea, bloating, or serious adverse events; it survives gastric acid and bile and colonizes the colon. As with all live probiotics, use caution in critically ill, immunocompromised, or central-venous-catheter patients given the theoretical risk of bacteremia/translocation; Lactobacillus bacteremia is rare but reported. Discuss with a clinician before use in these high-risk groups. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Lactobacillus plantarum 299v with any medicine.
Common questions about Lactobacillus plantarum 299v
What is Lactobacillus plantarum 299v used for?
Lactobacillus plantarum 299v is most often taken for Eases IBS symptoms — reduces abdominal pain frequency/severity and bloating (214-patient RCT), Increases non-heme iron absorption by ~50% when taken with iron (double-isotope studies; EFSA-reviewed), Reduces Clostridioides difficile colonization and infection incidence in antibiotic-treated/high-risk inpatients, Adheres to colonic mucosa and displaces pathogenic E. coli via mannose-specific binding. The mannose-binding gut workhorse: eases IBS and boosts iron uptake
Does Lactobacillus plantarum 299v work — what does the evidence say?
Moderate evidence. Several controlled trials; effects real but modest or context-dependent. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (DSM 9843) is among the best-characterized single probiotic strains, with its strongest randomized evidence in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), where a 214-patient double-blind RCT (Ducrotté 2012) showed significantly greater reductions in abdominal pain frequency and bloating versus placebo. Double-isotope crossover studies in women of reproductive age consistently show it increases non-heme iron absorption by roughly 50% when co-administered with iron, a claim that has undergone EFSA review. It also reduces Clostridioides difficile colonization and infection incidence in antibiotic-treated and high-risk hospitalized patients, and uniquely adheres to colonic mucosa via mannose-specific binding, displacing pathogenic E. coli. Evidence is moderate overall: trials are real and replicated for IBS and iron, but several are single-center or modest in size.
What is the typical dose of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v?
10 billion (1×10^10) CFU/day is the typical effective dose; IBS trials used one capsule daily over 4 weeks, and iron-absorption studies used 10^9–10^10 CFU taken together with the iron source. Available as freeze-dried capsules or fermented drinks; take with a meal (and alongside iron when used for iron status).
Is Lactobacillus plantarum 299v safe? Any cautions or side effects?
Well tolerated in trials, including in critically ill and surgical patients, with no excess diarrhea, bloating, or serious adverse events; it survives gastric acid and bile and colonizes the colon. As with all live probiotics, use caution in critically ill, immunocompromised, or central-venous-catheter patients given the theoretical risk of bacteremia/translocation; Lactobacillus bacteremia is rare but reported. Discuss with a clinician before use in these high-risk groups.
How many studies support Lactobacillus plantarum 299v?
NutriDex cites 10 sources for Lactobacillus plantarum 299v, graded "Moderate".
Cite this page
APA
Peh, D. (2026). Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (DSM 9843)): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 16 Sept 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/l-plantarum-299v
BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_l_plantarum_299v,
author = {Peh, Daryl},
title = {Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (DSM 9843)): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
url = {https://nutridex.info/s/l-plantarum-299v},
note = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-09-16}
}
For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.