Probiotic bacteria: a viable adjuvant therapy for relieving symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

The burgeoning use of probiotics has proliferated during the past two decades. However, the effect of probiotic administration for either the prevention or treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been investigated in a limited number of studies. Randomized controlled clinical trials have provided evidences that specific probiotics supplementation exhibit anti-inflammatory effects, help to increase daily activities and alleviate symptoms in patients with RA. Therefore, using probiotic bacteria as an adjuvant therapy may be considered as a promising treatment option for RA. This review summarizes the available data about the therapeutic and preventive effect of probiotics in RA, together with probiotic supplement as a possible therapy in clinical treatment.