A laboratory study has demonstrated that Symprove inhibited the growth of Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile), a common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and healthcare-associated infection.
C. difficile can be difficult to treat because infections frequently return after antibiotic treatment, leaving many patients caught in a cycle of repeated illness and further courses of antibiotics. This has prompted growing interest in whether probiotics could provide an additional strategy for supporting the gut microbiome during or after antibiotic treatment.
Researchers from University College London investigated several commercial probiotics using isothermal microcalorimetry, a technique that monitors bacterial growth in real time. The study compared different probiotic products to determine whether they could prevent the germination and growth of C. difficile.
Symprove completely inhibited the growth of C. difficile under the laboratory conditions used in the study. The researchers suggest this may be partly because the probiotic bacteria created a more acidic environment that was less favourable for C. difficile to grow. They also found evidence that the Symprove bacteria may produce additional antimicrobial compounds that further inhibit C. difficile growth.
Interestingly, the study also demonstrated that not all commercial probiotics perform equally. While Symprove inhibited the growth of C. difficile, the other commercial probiotic that were tested in the laboratory did not. This highlights the importance of evaluating individual probiotic products rather than treating all probiotics as the same.
The authors conclude that Symprove demonstrated promising activity against C. difficile in the lab. However, they emphasise that further laboratory, animal and human studies are needed before any clinical conclusions can be drawn.
The full paper is available in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics (Fredua-Agyeman M, et al. Int J Pharm 2017;517:96–103).
About Symprove:
Symprove is the UK's No.1 live and active bacteria supplement*.
Founded in 1986, Symprove has spent decades investing in independent scientific research to help build a better understanding of the gut microbiome and the role it plays in overall health.
Unlike many supplements, Symprove's unique water-based formula is designed to deliver live and active bacteria to the gut, where they can have the greatest impact. It contains four strains of live and active bacteria, is suitable for everyday use and is free from dairy, gluten and artificial additives.
Today, Symprove is available on subscription from symprove.com and at leading UK retailers including Tesco, Boots, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Superdrug, and Holland & Barrett.
For more information, visit www.symprove.com.
For samples or more information, please get in touch with press@symprove.com or call 01252 413 600.
* Source Euromonitor International Ltd; Consumer Health 2026ed., Symprove retail value sales, UK 2025 data
