Greek Study Finds That Probiotics Can Help Control Deadly Immune Reactions in COVID-19 Patients
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team May 29, 2025 1 day, 3 hours, 1 minute ago
Medical News: New Findings from Greek Researchers Reveal How Probiotics Influence Inflammation and Immunity in COVID-19
Scientists from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School and the Hellenic Institute for the Study of Sepsis have uncovered compelling new evidence that probiotics can directly influence how immune cells behave in COVID-19 patients, potentially reducing the dangerous inflammatory response that leads to severe illness and death.
Greek Study Finds That Probiotics Can Help Control Deadly Immune Reactions in COVID-19 Patients
In a groundbreaking clinical study involving 55 patients with confirmed COVID-19 and 20 healthy individuals as comparators, researchers investigated how a specific mix of four probiotic strains impacted the body’s inflammatory response. The probiotics used—Saccharomyces boulardii, Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5, and Lactobacillus plantarum—were tested on immune cells collected from patients, especially those suffering from COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
Using blood samples, scientists isolated immune cells known as PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) and exposed them to both bacterial toxins (LPS) and probiotics. This
Medical News report highlights that probiotics notably decreased the production of key inflammatory cytokines like TNFα and IL-1β—chemicals often associated with the so-called “cytokine storm” in COVID-19, which causes severe lung damage and organ failure.
Probiotics Maintain Immunity Without Worsening Inflammation
Unlike other immune stimulators such as recombinant human interferon-gamma (rhIFNγ), which tended to increase inflammation, probiotics did not cause an inflammatory surge. In fact, even when used together with rhIFNγ, probiotics didn’t raise inflammatory markers and appeared to moderate cytokine production in a safe, stable way.
Surprisingly, while probiotics suppressed harmful inflammation, they preserved the production of IL-6, a cytokine necessary for some level of immune function. This suggests that probiotics could reduce dangerous immune overreactions while still keeping the body’s defense systems active—offering a valuable balance in treatment.
Furthermore, gene expression tests revealed that probiotic stimulation increased the activity of TLR2 (Toll-like receptor 2), an important immune receptor, especially in patients with ARDS. Conversely, stimulation with bacterial toxins reduced TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4), which is known to interact with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and may contribute to excessive inflammation.
Link Between Viral Load and Immune Cell Activity
The study also explored how the amount of virus in a patient's bloodstream affected immune responses. Researchers found that individuals with higher viral loads showed different cytokine patterns when their immune cells were stimulated with
LPS. However, probiotic effects remained consistent regardless of viral levels, showing promise as a reliable intervention across varying stages of disease severity.
What This Means for COVID-19 Treatment
The research suggests that probiotics could serve as a helpful supplement for managing COVID-19, especially in patients who are not in critical condition or who are at risk of progressing to ARDS. By dampening dangerous inflammation while preserving key immune functions, probiotics might help reduce complications, shorten hospital stays, and support overall recovery.
Though the findings are promising, the authors acknowledge some limitations: the sample size was relatively small, and the probiotics were tested outside the body rather than in real-time use. Still, the results build on previous studies that have already shown probiotics can reduce COVID-19 symptoms, help clear the virus, and improve markers of immune health.
Conclusions
The study provides vital new insights into how certain probiotic combinations can help regulate the immune system in COVID-19 patients. The evidence suggests that these beneficial bacteria reduce harmful inflammation by lowering TNFα and IL-1β levels, while maintaining IL-6 to preserve basic immune function. This effect appears to be independent of interferon-gamma and does not rely on blocking the IL-6 receptor, highlighting a unique immunomodulatory mechanism. As the pandemic evolves, such findings point to probiotics as a promising, low-risk strategy for improving outcomes—especially in those with moderate symptoms or at risk of immune overreaction. More large-scale and in vivo studies are needed to confirm these benefits across broader populations.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed Journal of Innate Immunity (Karger).
https://karger.com/jin/article/17/1/277/927236/Interactions-of-Probiotics-with-the-Immune-Cells
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/scientists-in-preclinical-study-find-that-specific-probiotics-can-lower-covid-19-viral-load-and-inflammation
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