Supplementary material

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the ability of <em>Lactobacillus</em> supplementation to improve glycemic control, the lipid profile, and blood pressure in adults who are overweight or obese. Nine eligible RCTs with 598 participants were included. We found that <em>Lactobacillus</em> supplementation significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD −5.27 mg/dL; 95% confidence interval [CI] −8.28, −2.25; P=0.0006) and total cholesterol (MD −4.84 mg/dL; 95% CI −8.29, −1.39; P=0.006), particularly when taken in capsule, powder, or tablet form, for 12 weeks, as ≥1×1010 colony forming units/day, or as part of a normal diet. Benefits of <em>Lactobacillus</em> on fasting plasma glucose were seen after 12 weeks of supplementation (MD −1.81 mg/dL; 95% CI −3.08, −0.54; P=0.005) and on triglycerides when taking a normal diet (MD −14.14 mg/dL; 95% CI −24.38, −3.91; P=0.007). <em>Lactobacillus </em>had only a short-term beneficial effect on fasting plasma insulin and blood pressure and no significant beneficial effect on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.