Cited by 103Probiotics and Fermented FoodsPediatric health and respiratory diseasesRespiratory viral infections research

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Role of Probiotics in Stimulating the Immune System in Viral Respiratory Tract Infections: A Narrative Review

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Lehtoranta, Liisa, Latvala, Sinikka, Lehtinen, Markus J.·2020·Nutrients

DOI 10.3390/nu12103163PMC PMC7602805

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Abstract

Viral respiratory tract infection (RTI) is the most frequent cause of infectious illnesses including the common cold. Pharmacological solutions for treating or preventing viral RTIs are so far limited and thus several self-care products are available in the market. Some dietary supplements such as probiotics have been shown to modulate immune system function and their role in reducing the risk and the course of RTIs has been investigated extensively within the past decade. However, the mechanism of action and the efficacy of probiotics against viral RTIs remains unclear. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Knowledge for pre-clinical and clinical studies investigating the effect of probiotics on respiratory virus infections, immune response, and the course of upper and lower respiratory tract illness. The literature summarized in this narrative review points out that specific probiotic strains seem effective in pre-clinical models, through stimulating the immune system and inhibiting viral replication. Clinical studies indicate variable efficacy on upper respiratory illnesses and lack proof of diagnosed viral infections. However, meta-analyses of clinical studies indicate that probiotics could be beneficial in upper respiratory illnesses without specific etiology. Further studies aiming at discovering the mechanisms of action of probiotics and clinical efficacy are warranted.

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Figure 1 Summary of probiotic effector mechanisms and clinical evidence on viral respiratory tract infections. Abbreviations: Ab: antibiotic; IFN: interferon; IFVA: influenza A virus; IL: interleukin; IRF: interferon regulatory factor; NF-κB: nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells; MAMPs: microbe-associated molecular patterns; Mx: myxovirus-resistance protein; NK: Natural Killer; RIG: retinoic acid-inducible gene; TLR: Toll-like receptor. Symbols: ->: activation; ↑: increase; ↓: decrease; ↔: no effect.CC BY · PubMed Central

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Authors: Lehtoranta, L., Latvala, S., & Lehtinen, M. J.
Affiliations: DuPont (Finland) (FI)
Corresponding author: Lehtoranta, Liisa
ORCID: Lehtoranta, Liisa
Lehtinen, Markus J.
Venue: Nutrients
Publisher: MDPI AG
Published: 2020-10-16
Volume: 12
Issue: 10
Pages: 3163
ISSN: 2072-6643 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.3390/nu12103163
PMC: PMC7602805
OpenAlex: W3092694889
Cited by: 103
References: 89
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 1
FWCI: 1.48
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: gold
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (vor)
Locations: Nutrients (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics: Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pediatric health and respiratory diseases
Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Respiratory viral infections research
Keywords: probiotics, respiratory viral infections, immune system stimulation, common cold, upper respiratory tract infection, lower respiratory tract infection, dietary supplements, viral replication inhibition, probiotic strains, self-care products
MeSH terms: Bifidobacterium, Humans, Immune System, Lactobacillus, Respiratory Tract Infections, Stimulation, Chemical, Virus Diseases, Virus Replication, Dietary Supplements, Probiotics, Immunomodulation

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Role of Probiotics in Stimulating the Immune System in Viral Respiratory Tract Infections: A Narrative Review

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