Chemotherapy is a common treatment for breast cancer, but it often comes with challenging side effects. Many patients experience fatigue, nausea, and a weakened immune system because chemotherapy targets not only cancer cells but also healthy ones.
These side effects can sometimes make it difficult for patients to continue with their treatment, impacting both their health and quality of life.
Researchers are now exploring alternative ways to reduce these side effects, and one promising option is probiotics. A recent study published in the journal Pharmacia examined whether multi-strain probiotics could help breast cancer patients manage the side effects of chemotherapy.
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for health, especially the digestive system. They are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep the gut healthy.
The study used several measures to track the effects of probiotics on chemotherapy patients. These included the Karnofsky performance score, which measures a patient’s ability to perform everyday activities, as well as blood tests to monitor overall health.
The findings were encouraging. Breast cancer patients who took probiotics with seven different strains showed improvements in several common chemotherapy side effects, including fatigue and nausea. Patients reported feeling less tired and less nauseous both before and after taking the probiotics.
This improvement in symptoms seemed to make it easier for patients to carry out their daily activities without as much assistance from others. This suggests that probiotics may help patients maintain their independence during treatment.
In addition to reducing fatigue and nausea, the study also found that multi-strain probiotics improved blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. BUN is a measure of how well the kidneys are working, and better levels suggest improved overall health.
This improvement may be linked to the reduction in nausea and fatigue, as feeling better physically can make it easier to stay active and maintain daily routines.
The researchers concluded that multi-strain probiotics could be a helpful supplement for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. By easing side effects, probiotics may help patients tolerate their treatment better and improve their quality of life.
However, the study’s authors emphasized that larger studies are needed to confirm these benefits before probiotics can become a standard part of cancer care.
If future research supports these findings, probiotics could offer a simple, natural way to make chemotherapy more manageable for patients. This could potentially lead to better treatment adherence, improved health outcomes, and a better quality of life for those fighting breast cancer.
If you care about breast cancer, please read studies about how eating patterns help ward off breast cancer, and soy and plant compounds may prevent breast cancer recurrence.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how your grocery list can help guard against caner, and a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
The research findings can be found in Pharmacia.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
