Effect of Bacillus Coagulans in Adults With With Functional Constipation

December 31, 2025 updated by: Sang Yeoup Lee, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

Effect of Bacillus Coagulans on Various Symptoms and Fecal Microbial Diversity in Adults With With Functional Constipation: a Randomized, Double-blinded, Placebo-controlled Trial

The investigators conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate the effects of Bacillus coagulans on various symptoms and fecal microbial diversity in adults with with functional constipation for 12 weeks.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

A previous study has indicated that Bacillus coagulans provided control of abdominal pain, less discomfort during defecation, and a more normalized defecation style, especially in adults with with functional constipation. Therefore, the investigators conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate the effects of Bacillus coagulans various symptoms and fecal microbial diversity in adults with with functional constipation for 8 weeks; the safety of the compound are also evaluated. The Investigators examine constipation visual analogue scale, Bristol Stool Form Scale type 3 & 4 ratio, visual analogue scale for irritable bowel syndrome (VAS-IBS) questionnaire score, IBS-symptom severity scale, IBS quality-of-life questionnaire score, fecal microbial diversity at baseline, as well as after 8 weeks of intervention. Eighty adults were administered either 400 mg of Bacillus coagulans or a placebo each day for 8 weeks.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
80

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • South Korea
    • Gyeungsangnam-do
      • Yangsan, Gyeungsangnam-do, South Korea, 50612
        • Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

15 years to 71 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- function constipation by Romes criteria IV

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Abnormal liver or renal function (more than twice the normal upper limit of the research institute)
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (>160 mg/dL of fasting blood sugar)
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (>160/100 mmHg)
  • Uncontrolled thyroid diseases.
  • History of serious cerebro-cardiovascular diseases or cancer such as angina or myocardial infarction within 6 months
  • History of structural abnormalities of colon within 4 year
  • History of medication for probiotics and psychiatric diseases such as severe depression, schizophrenia, drug intoxication.
  • Alcohol abuser
  • Allergic reaction to this test food
  • Those who participated in other drug clinical trials within 1 month from the screening date.
  • Severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as heartburn and indigestion
  • Those who are pregnant, lactating, or plan to become pregnant during the clinical trial
  • Those who are judged to be unsuitable by the PI for other reasons

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Bacillus coagulans group
This group takes Bacillus coagulans for 12 weeks.
Dietary supplement: Bacillus coagulans group
Bacillus coagulans 400 mg/day for 12 weeks
Placebo Comparator: Control group
This group takes placebo for 12 weeks.
Dietary supplement: Control group
Placebo 400 mg/day for 12 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
constipation visual analogue scale
Time Frame: 8 weeks
using visual analogue scale (100 mm). The minimum value was 0 mm and the maximum value was 100 mm, and higher scores mean a worse outcome.
8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
visual analogue scale for irritable bowel syndrome
Time Frame: 8 weeks
using visual analogue scale (100 mm). The minimum value was 0 mm and the maximum value was 100 mm, and higher scores mean a better outcome.
8 weeks
irritable bowel syndrome-symptom severity scale
Time Frame: 8 weeks
using IBS-Symptom Severity Scale questionnaire. The minimum value was 0 score and the maximum value was 500 score and higher scores mean a worse outcome.
8 weeks
irritable bowel syndrome-quality-of-life
Time Frame: 8 weeks
using IBS-QOL questionnaire. The minimum value was 0 score and the maximum value was 5 score and higher scores mean a better outcome.
8 weeks
fecal microbial diversity
Time Frame: 8 weeks
using gut microbiome analysis
8 weeks
Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) type 1 & 2 ratio (%)
Time Frame: 8 weeks
using Bristol Stool Form Scale. The minimum value was 0% and the maximum value was 100%, and higher scores mean a better outcome.
8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Sang Yeoup Lee, MD, PhD, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 20, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 27, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 15, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 30, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 30, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 9, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 31, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 02-2021-008

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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