The DOI matches its Crossref record; 30 of the 30 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 32 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.
Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Constipation is a frequent complaint and the combination of a prebiotic and probiotics could have a potentially synergic effect on the intestinal transit. The present study therefore aims to investigate the combination of polydextrose (Litesse), L. acidophilus NCFM® and B. lactis HN019 in a yogurt on intestinal transit in subjects who suffer from constipation. METHODS: Patients with constipation were randomly divided into two groups, Control Group (CG) and Treatment Group (TG), and had to eat 180 ml of unflavored yogurt every morning for 14 days. Those in the CG received only yogurt, while the TG received yogurt containing polydextrose, L. acidophilus NCFM (ATCC 700396) and B. lactis HN019 (AGAL NM97/09513). RESULTS: Favourable clinical response was assessed since Agachan score had a significant reduction at the end of the study in both groups and tended to be better in the TG. The subjects in the treatment group also had a shorter transit time at the end of the intervention compared to the control group (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The product containing yogurt with polydextrose, B. lactis HN019 and L. acidophilus NCFM® significantly shortened colonic transit time after two weeks in the TG compared to CG and may be an option for treatment of constipation.
Overview
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Written from the paper’s full text.
TL;DR
In adults with chronic constipation, 14 days of yogurt containing polydextrose, *Lactobacillus acidophilus* NCFM, and *Bifidobacterium lactis* HN019 significantly shortened colonic transit time compared with control yogurt. Both groups improved on the Agachan constipation score, but bowel movement frequency did not change.
Key findings
- Of 47 participants, 43 (91.5%) were women; the Control Group had 21 participants and the Treatment Group had 26.
- Agachan score decreased significantly in both groups: CG from 14.3 ± 2.4 to 8.3 ± 3.5; TG from 13.8 ± 2.1 to 5.3 ± 2.9, with final TG lower than final CG (p = 0.005).
- Colonic transit time at the end of intervention was shorter in the TG than in the CG (24.6 ± 12.8 h vs 33.9 ± 12.4 h; p = 0.01).
- Bowel movements per day remained unchanged: CG 0.7 ± 0.3 to 0.7 ± 0.3; TG 0.7 ± 0.3 to 0.8 ± 0.3 (p > 0.05).
Methods
- Randomized, double-blind, controlled study in volunteers aged 18–45 with chronic constipation and Agachan score 10–20; exclusions included hypothyroidism, antidepressant use, and normal CTT (≤24 h) or CTT >96 h.
- Participants consumed 180 ml unflavored yogurt every morning for 14 days: CG received yogurt only; TG received yogurt with polydextrose, *L. acidophilus* NCFM (ATCC 700396), and *B. lactis* HN019 (AGAL NM97/09513), with at least 10^9 CFU per strain per portion.
- Outcomes were Agachan score, colonic transit time by abdominal X-ray after radio-opaque markers, and daily bowel movement records; analyses used Fisher’s exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, and t-test with significance at 5%.
Limitations
- The paper does not state a limitations section.
- Evident from the text: small sample (47 participants), predominantly women (43/47; 91.5%), short 14-day intervention, and no long-term follow-up.
- Also evident: bowel movement frequency did not change, both groups improved on Agachan score, and several authors are DuPont Nutrition and Health employees, the source of the tested strains.
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Claims the paper makes
24 Not checked yet · 9 Own method · 7 Own result · 2 Own interpretation · 1 No basis given
The paper states this without a source or data behind it here, so there is nothing to check it against. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Although the main inclusion criterion was slow intestinal transit, some volunteers exhibited a normal transit time of around 24 h.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Agachan score had a significant reduction at the end of the study in both groups”
- Also stated in: § Results · plain
“Agachan score had a significant reduction at the end of the study in both groups and tended to be better in the TG (Table 2).”
- Also stated in: § Discussion · plain
“the Agachan score improved in both test groups”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Abstract > Results
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Also stated in: § Results · plain
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“the Agachan score improved in both test groups and was not different between the groups.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The number of bowel movements per day remained unchanged for the duration of the study (Table 3).”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Results
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“tended to be better in the TG”
- Also stated in: § Results · hedged
“tended to be better in the TG (Table 2)”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Abstract > Results
hedgedconditional- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Also stated in: § Results · hedged
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The subjects in the treatment group also had a shorter transit time at the end of the intervention compared to the control group (p = 0.01).”
- Also stated in: § Results · plain
“The subjects in the treatment group also had a shorter transit time at the end of the intervention compared to the control group (t-test, p = 0.01), Table 4.”
- Also stated in: § Discussion · plain
“was also significantly different from the final CTT of the Control Group.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Abstract > Results
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Also stated in: § Results · plain
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“a reduction of CTT using radio opaque pellets was observed. This reduction was only significant for the Treatment Group”
- Also stated in: § Discussion · plain
“a significant reduction in transit time was observed for the whole Treatment Group.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Also stated in: § Discussion · plain
A conclusion the paper draws from its own results — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The product containing yogurt with polydextrose, B. lactis HN019 and L. acidophilus NCFM® significantly shortened colonic transit time after two weeks”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Abstract > Conclusion
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“The present study confirms these observations.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [15] Waller PA, Gopal PK, Leyer GJ, Ouwehand AC, Reifer C, Stewart ME, Miller LE: Dose-response effect of Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 on whole gut transit time and functional gastrointestinal symptoms in adults. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2011, 46: 1057-64. source
- Not checked yetcites [29] Bueno L, De Ponti F, Fried M, Kullak-Ublick GA, Kwiatek MA, Pohl D, Quigley EM, Tack J, Talley NJ: Serotonergic and non-serotonergic targets in the pharmacotherapy of visceral hypersensitivity. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2007, 19 (Suppl 1): 89-119. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
In the paper
“The combination of a prebiotic and probiotics would have a potentially synergic effect on the intestinal transit, as has been shown [20].”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [20] Bjorklund M, Ouwehand AC, Forssten SD, Nikkila J, Tiihonen K, Rautonen N, Lahtinen SJ: Gut microbiota of healthy elderly NSAID users is selectively modified with the administration of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and lactitol. Age (Dordr). 2012, 34: 987-99. source
hedgedconditional- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- It may state two separate claims as one. 12
- Probably not a substantial claim. 21
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“This reduction was only significant for the Treatment Group”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The study was blinded to investigators and volunteers and the code was secured in a sealed envelope.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Methods > Yogurt preparation
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The presentation was identical as to the consistency, taste, odor, and appearance.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Methods > Yogurt preparation
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The amount of polydextrose was not changed at the end of the study (14 days)”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Results
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The local ethical committee approved the project (N°. 454/2008). Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov identifier no. NCT01825434.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Methods > Patients
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“No significant statistical differences were observed as to gender, age, BMI, frequency of bowel movements per week (BM) and use of laxatives between the two groups (Table 1).”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Results
plainn = 47- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“and there were no exclusions due to collateral effects.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Results
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The number of patients assessed was 71 and 24 of them were excluded due to: normal CTT (12); Changed mind on participation (10); inadequate tolerance to yogurt (2); and there were no exclusions due to collateral effects. Of the 47 individuals who participated 43 (91.5%) were women. The Control Group (CG) had 21 participants while the Treatment Group (TG) had 26.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Results
plainn = 47- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
What the paper did — it cites no source for this, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The subjects recruited were allocated randomly (permuted-block randomization) within two groups, Control Group (CG) and Treatment Group (TG)”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Methods > Patients
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
In the paper
“A study by Guyonet and co-workers [14] showed an improvement in bowel function in constipated subjects with Irritable Bowel Syndrome after the use of the same B. lactis for six weeks.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [14] Guyonnet D, Chassany O, Ducrotte P, Picard C, Mouret M, Mercier CH, Matuchansky C: Effect of a fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium animalis DN-173 010 on the health-related quality of life and symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome in adults in primary care: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2007, 26: 475-86. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“Yang et al. [13] saw that the use of B. lactis DN-173 010 for periods of over two weeks was accompanied by an increase in the frequency of bowel movements in women who suffered from constipation.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [13] Yang YX, He M, Hu G, Wei J, Pages P, Yang XH, Bourdu-Naturel S: Effect of a fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173010 on Chinese constipated women. World J Gastroenterol. 2008, 14: 6237-43. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“It also acts as a substrate for beneficial endogenous microbes, allowing an increase in their levels and activity in the intestinal lumen [7,8].”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [7] Probert HM, Apajalahti JH, Rautonen N, Stowell J, Gibson GR: Polydextrose, lactitol, and fructo-oligosaccharide fermentation by colonic bacteria in a three-stage continuous culture system. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2004, 70: 4505-11. source
- Not checked yetcites [8] Raninen K, Lappi J, Mykkanen H, Poutanen K: Dietary fiber type reflects physiological functionality: comparison of grain fiber, inulin, and polydextrose. Nutr Rev. 2011, 69: 9-21. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“Probiotics are often included in dairy products [12], since these foods provide a preferred growth medium for many of these microorganisms.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [12] Gupta V, Garg R: Probiotics. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2009, 27: 202-9. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“Using Lactobacillus casei Shirota, Koebenick et al. [16] demonstrated an improvement of the symptoms associated with constipation in comparison to placebo.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [16] Koebnick C, Wagner I, Leitzmann P, Stern U, Zunft HJ: Probiotic beverage containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota improves gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with chronic constipation. Can J Gastroenterol. 2003, 17: 655-9. source
boosteddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“however, there was no difference when compared to children who took oral laxatives.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [17] Bu LN, Chang MH, Ni YH, Chen HL, Cheng CC: Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus Lcr35 in children with chronic constipation. Pediatr Int. 2007, 49: 485-90. source
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“Bu et al. [17], showed that the use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lce35 increased evacuation frequency”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [17] Bu LN, Chang MH, Ni YH, Chen HL, Cheng CC: Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus Lcr35 in children with chronic constipation. Pediatr Int. 2007, 49: 485-90. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“The decrease of the intestinal pH [27], a competitive action with intestinal pathogen(s) or production of substances with neurotransmitter activities [28] are some of the mechanisms attributed to selected strains of probiotics which stimulate the intestinal peristalsis.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [27] Picard C, Fioramonti J, Francois A, Robinson T, Neant F, Matuchansky C: Review article: bifidobacteria as probiotic agents – physiological effects and clinical benefits. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2005, 22: 495-512. source
- Not checked yetcites [28] Quigley EM: Bacteria: a new player in gastrointestinal motility disorders--infections, bacterial overgrowth, and probiotics. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2007, 36 (3): 735-48. xi source
hedgeddirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“Koebnick et al. [16] verified that the use of L. acidophilus Shirota was accompanied by an improvement of the symptoms related to constipation.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [16] Koebnick C, Wagner I, Leitzmann P, Stern U, Zunft HJ: Probiotic beverage containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota improves gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with chronic constipation. Can J Gastroenterol. 2003, 17: 655-9. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“Hengst et al. [6] reported that a yogurt containing polydextrose reduced oro-faecal transit time, as well as an improvement in the fecal consistency.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [6] Hengst C, Ptok S, Roessler A, Fechner A, Jahreis G: Effects of polydextrose supplementation on different faecal parameters in healthy volunteers. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009, 60 (Suppl 5): 96-105. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“dietary advice and more frequent use of fibers and sufficient intake of liquids, make it a manageable condition [22], nevertheless with varied results”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [22] Lembo A, Camilleri M: Chronic constipation. N Engl J Med. 2003, 349: 1360-8. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“polydextrose has also been reported to positively influence stool consistency and bowel function [30]”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [30] Jie Z, Bang-Yao L, Ming-Jie X, Hai-Wei L, Zu-Kang Z, Ting-Song W, Craig SA: Studies on the effects of polydextrose intake on physiologic functions in Chinese people. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000, 72: 1503-9. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“It presents the same properties of fibers and promotes a shorter time passing through the intestines and improves the consistency of the stool [5,6].”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [5] Achour L, Flourie B, Briet F, Pellier P, Marteau P, Rambaud JC: Gastrointestinal effects and energy value of polydextrose in healthy nonobese men. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994, 59: 1362-8. source
- Not checked yetcites [6] Hengst C, Ptok S, Roessler A, Fechner A, Jahreis G: Effects of polydextrose supplementation on different faecal parameters in healthy volunteers. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009, 60 (Suppl 5): 96-105. source
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
It may state two separate claims as one.
In the paper
“Functional foods could be promising in alleviating motility problems of the gastrointestinal tract, in relation to irritable bowel syndrome and constipation [23].”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [23] Moayyedi P, Ford AC, Talley NJ, Cremonini F, Foxx-Orenstein AE, Brandt LJ, Quigley EM: The efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review. Gut. 2010, 59: 325-32. source
hedgedconditional- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“normalization of bowel movements and stool consistency in individuals who are constipated [11].”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [11] De VM, Schrezenmeir J: Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. Adv Biochem Eng Biotechnol. 2008, 111: 1-66.
plaindirect- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim.
None of the sources cited for this claim have been checked yet.
In the paper
“there is data showing that the intestinal microbiota is diverse among healthy individuals and sufferers of constipation [24,25].”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [24] Khalif IL, Quigley EM, Konovitch EA, Maximova ID: Alterations in the colonic flora and intestinal permeability and evidence of immune activation in chronic constipation. Dig Liver Dis. 2005, 37: 838-49. source
- Not checked yetcites [25] Zoppi G, Cinquetti M, Luciano A, Benini A, Muner A, Bertazzoni ME: The intestinal ecosystem in chronic functional constipation. Acta Paediatr. 1998, 87: 836-41. source
hedged- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
In the paper
“They should be viable in the conditions of the gastric lumen and have the capability to adhere to the intestinal epithelium [10].”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Background
What the sources say
- Not checked yetcites [10] Buck BL, Altermann E, Svingerud T, Klaenhammer TR: Functional analysis of putative adhesion factors in Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005, 71: 8344-51. source
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: fails — It may be too vague to check against evidence.
- Load-bearing: fails — The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.
The paper relies on this without support.
There are few studies evaluating the effect of functional foods on constipation.
“Currently, there is great interest in functional foods. There are, however, few studies that evaluate their effect on constipation.”
The paper relies on this without support.
A daily dose of at least one billion colony forming units is necessary to obtain probiotic benefits.
“To obtain these benefits, as a rule of thumb a dose of at least a billion colony forming units should be consumed daily.”
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The check wasn’t confident either way, so it gives no verdict — never disputed.
In the citing paper
“The possible transfer of antibiotic resistance genes from probiotic microorganisms to commensal pathogens within the gut flora is another aspect that raises concerns about the safety of probiotics [121].”
From Current Concepts in Probiotic Safety and Efficacy (2026) · cites this paper as [121]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe check wasn’t confident either way, so it gives no verdict — never disputed.
In the citing paper
“17 studies, comprising 1256 participants, were included with perfect agreements between two researchers (kappa statistic=0.797).”
From Efficacy in bowel movement and change of gut microbiota on adult functional constipation patients treated with probiotics-containing products: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2024) · cites this paper as [25]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.
Rated major: it would touch a result — a value a result rests on, reported and recomputed p-values on opposite sides of the significance level, two passages that conflict with no sign which is right, or a cited work retracted before this paper was published.
In the paper
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Results
“| BM (/week) | 7.4 ± 3.5 | 6.8 ± 2.6 | 0.9175* |”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Results
“| CG | 21 | 0.7, 0.3* | 0.7, 0.3* | | TG | 26 | 0.7, 0.3* | 0.8, 0.3* |”
Rated major: it would touch a result — a value a result rests on, reported and recomputed p-values on opposite sides of the significance level, two passages that conflict with no sign which is right, or a cited work retracted before this paper was published.
In the paper
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Discussion
“the Agachan score improved in both test groups and was not different between the groups.”
§ Effect of yogurt containing polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in chronic constipation > Results
“| CG | 21 | 14.3 ± 2.4*§ | 8.3 ± 3.5§★ | | TG | 26 | 13.8 ± 2.1*✗ | 5.3 ± 2.9✗★ | Note: CG control Group, TG treatment group. Comparison of data with the same symbol; *p > 0.05, §p < 0.001, ✗p < 0.001, ★p = 0.005.”
Citations
Cites
A constipation scoring system to simplify evaluation and management of constipated patients
Agachan, F., Chen, T., Pfeifer, J., Reissman, P., & Wexner, S. D. (1996) · Diseases of the Colon & Rectum · doi:10.1007/bf02056950 · Cited by 1,256
Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics
de Vrese, M., & Schrezenmeir, J. (2008) · Advances in biochemical engineering, biotechnology · doi:10.1007/10_2008_097 · Cited by 1,061
The efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review
Moayyedi, P., Ford, A. C., Talley, N. J., Cremonini, F., Foxx-Orenstein, A. E., Brandt, L. J., & Quigley, E. M. M. (2010) · Gut · doi:10.1136/gut.2008.167270 · Cited by 728
Lembo, A., & Camilleri, M. (2003) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejmra020995 · Cited by 692
Review article: bifidobacteria as probiotic agents – physiological effects and clinical benefits
PICARD, C., FIORAMONTI, J., FRANCOIS, A., ROBINSON, T., NEANT, F., & MATUCHANSKY, C. (2005) · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2005.02615.x · Cited by 618
Functional Analysis of Putative Adhesion Factors in Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM
Buck, B. L., Altermann, E., Svingerud, T., & Klaenhammer, T. R. (2005) · Applied and Environmental Microbiology · doi:10.1128/aem.71.12.8344-8351.2005 · Cited by 390
KHALIF, I., QUIGLEY, E., KONOVITCH, E., & MAXIMOVA, I. (2005) · Digestive and Liver Disease · doi:10.1016/j.dld.2005.06.008 · Cited by 382
GUYONNET, D., CHASSANY, O., DUCROTTE, P., PICARD, C., MOURET, M., MERCIER, C. ‐., & MATUCHANSKY, C. (2007) · Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2007.03362.x · Cited by 365
Koebnick, C., Wagner, I., Leitzmann, P., Stern, U., & Zunft, H. F. (2003) · Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology · doi:10.1155/2003/654907 · Cited by 288 · cited 1×
“[16] demonstrated an improvement of the symptoms associated with constipation in comparison to placebo.”
ResultGupta, V, & Garg, R. (2009) · Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology · doi:10.4103/0255-0857.53201 · Cited by 283
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Reappraisal of probiotics’ safety in human
Sotoudegan, F., Daniali, M., Hassani, S., Nikfar, S., & Abdollahi, M. (2019) · Food and Chemical Toxicology · doi:10.1016/j.fct.2019.04.032 · Cited by 154
Zhang, C., Jiang, J., Tian, F., Zhao, J., Zhang, H., Zhai, Q., & Chen, W. (2020) · Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2020.01.005 · Cited by 131
Polydextrose: Physiological Function, and Effects on Health
do Carmo, M. M. R., Walker, J. C. L., Novello, D., Caselato, V. M., Sgarbieri, V. C., Ouwehand, A. C., Andreollo, N. A., Hiane, P. A., & dos Santos, E. F. (2016) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu8090553 · Cited by 123
Self-citationBifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 Effects on Gut Health: A Review
Cheng, J., Laitila, A., & Ouwehand, A. C. (2021) · Frontiers in Nutrition · doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.790561 · Cited by 93
Self-citationThe role of yogurt in food-based dietary guidelines
Gómez-Gallego, C., Gueimonde, M., & Salminen, S. (2018) · Nutrition Reviews · doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy059 · Cited by 92
Metadata
- Authors
- Magro, D. O., de Oliveira, L. M. R., Bernasconi, I., de Souza Ruela, M., Credidio, L., Barcelos, I. K., Leal, R. F., Ayrizono, M. D. L. S., Fagundes, J. J., Teixeira, L. D. B., Ouwehand, A. C., & Coy, C. S. R.
- Affiliations
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Magro, Daniéla Oliveira
- Venue
- Nutrition Journal
- Published
- 2014-07-24
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 75-75
- ISSN
- 1475-2891 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4113128
- OpenAlex
- W2108265425
- Semantic Scholar
- 83597e572ebd5404c105e6fa746e276e11ed6e3c
- Cited by
- 105
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 4
- FWCI
- 7.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Nutrition Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
- Keywords
- chronic constipation, yogurt, polydextrose, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, prebiotics, probiotics, colonic transit time, functional foods
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Bifidobacterium, Chronic Disease, Constipation, Double-Blind Method, Female, Glucans, Humans, Intestines, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Male, Middle Aged, Yogurt, Body Mass Index, Probiotics, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
A language model drew the claims from the paper on 2026-10-09, under version 3 of the claim definition (model deepseek-v4.1-flash, prompt extract-v3).
A second model labelled each claim on 2026-10-09 (model jev-1.13-20260917, definition revision gold-guideline-v0.2).
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
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