Lactobacillus plantarum

What is Lactobacillus plantarum?

Lactobacillus plantarum (now officially classified as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) is a hardy, versatile lactic acid bacterium found in many fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles and sourdough. It tolerates stomach acid relatively well, which is one reason it is popular in supplements.

Like other lactobacilli, it produces lactic acid, which helps keep the vaginal environment mildly acidic. A healthy vaginal microbiome in women of reproductive age is usually dominated by one or a few Lactobacillus species, and loss of that dominance is linked to bacterial vaginosis and, in some studies, to a higher risk of urinary tract infections. That background is why lactobacilli appear in so many women’s wellness formulas.

What the research says

Most of the human research on L. plantarum concerns digestive outcomes, especially specific strains such as 299v studied in irritable bowel syndrome. Evidence for urinary or vaginal outcomes is thinner. Small studies have tested particular strains for urinary tract infections in children and for vaginal health in women, but these used different strains and settings, and the overall picture for probiotics in UTI prevention, summarized in a 2015 Cochrane review, did not show a significant benefit.

For urinary health in general, the evidence for probiotics is weaker than marketing suggests. A 2015 Cochrane review of nine trials found no significant reduction in recurrent symptomatic UTIs with probiotics compared with placebo, and noted that most studies were small with a high risk of bias. For bacterial vaginosis, a 2022 meta-analysis of randomized trials found that adding probiotics to antibiotic treatment modestly improved cure rates, but the products, strains and routes (oral versus vaginal) varied widely.

A key point, emphasized by the NCCIH and by a large 2018 systematic review of strain specificity, is that results from one strain cannot be assumed to apply to another strain of the same species. A study of one commercial strain says little about a different strain with a different code on the label.

How it’s used in supplements

The strain in FemiCore, Lp05, is a commercial strain. We did not find published clinical trials of Lp05 for bladder control, urinary leakage or UTI prevention.

Probiotic doses are measured in colony forming units (CFU), typically ranging from about 1 billion to tens of billions per day in research. A label that lists strains only in milligrams, especially inside a combined blend, does not tell you how many live organisms you are getting or whether they survive to the end of shelf life. Look for products that state CFU at expiration, name the exact strain, and ideally cite trials of that strain.

Probiotics are generally well tolerated in healthy people. Mild gas or bloating in the first days is common. People who are seriously ill or have weakened immune systems face a small risk of serious infection and should talk to a doctor before using them.

Lactobacillus plantarum or Lactiplantibacillus plantarum? The 2020 name change

In April 2020, microbiologists split the old genus Lactobacillus into 25 genera based on whole-genome analysis. Lactobacillus plantarum was moved to a new genus and is now officially called Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Zheng et al., International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 2020). The organism itself did not change, and the abbreviation L. plantarum still works. Many labels and older studies use the old name, so search for both when you look up research.

Why the strain code matters: 299v, 299 (DSM 6595) and ATCC 8014

Probiotic effects are strain specific. A 2018 systematic review found that results for one strain cannot be assumed for another strain of the same species, and the NCCIH makes the same point. Codes you may see on labels or in searches:

• 299v (DSM 9843): the most studied L. plantarum strain in people. In a 4-week randomized trial in 214 adults with irritable bowel syndrome, it was associated with less abdominal pain and bloating than placebo (Ducrotté et al., 2012). An earlier small trial reported similar findings (Niedzielin et al., 2001). A 2019 meta-analysis of eight studies found that 299v increased iron absorption from meals and drinks, although improvements in iron status markers were rarely shown.
• 299 (DSM 6595): the parent strain of 299v, isolated from the human intestine. Laboratory work describes both strains as able to adhere to intestinal cells (Adlerberth et al., 1996). We found far fewer human trials for 299 than for 299v.
• ATCC 8014: a reference culture sold by the American Type Culture Collection. ATCC lists its uses as a laboratory test organism, for example in pharmacopeial assays for niacin and pantothenate. It is a lab strain, not a clinically tested probiotic.

Other L. plantarum strains, including those in combination products, need their own evidence. If a label gives only the species name, you cannot match it to any trial. Our guide to reading probiotic labels explains what to look for.

L. plantarum vs other common probiotics

L. plantarum is often sold alone or combined with L. reuteri, L. acidophilus or bifidobacteria. No species is simply better than another; what matters is whether the specific strain in your product was tested for the outcome you care about, at the dose on the label. Combining species does not automatically add up their benefits, and multi-strain products are rarely tested in exactly the combination sold. For broader context on digestive comfort, see our gut health hub and our page on occasional bloating.

Fermented foods such as unpasteurized sauerkraut, kimchi and some pickles can naturally contain L. plantarum, but the strain and amount are unknown and vary by batch, so they are not equivalent to a tested supplement strain. People with weakened immune systems, serious illness or a central line should talk to their doctor before taking any probiotic, and anyone who is pregnant or nursing should check with their doctor first.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lactobacillus plantarum?

Lactobacillus plantarum is a lactic acid bacterium found in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and sourdough, and in many probiotic supplements. It tolerates stomach acid fairly well. Since 2020 its official name is Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, but it is the same organism, and labels often still use the old name.

What is Lactobacillus plantarum good for?

It depends on the strain. The best studied strain, 299v, has been tested in people with irritable bowel syndrome, where trials reported less abdominal pain and bloating than placebo, and in studies showing increased iron absorption from meals. Other strains have much less human research, so benefits of 299v should not be assumed for them.

Is Lactiplantibacillus plantarum the same as Lactobacillus plantarum?

Yes. In 2020, scientists reorganized the Lactobacillus genus into 25 genera based on genome data, and L. plantarum was renamed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. The bacteria did not change. Older studies and many supplement labels still use Lactobacillus plantarum, so it helps to search for both names.

What is Lactobacillus plantarum 6595?

DSM 6595 is the culture collection number for L. plantarum strain 299, the human intestinal parent strain of the better known 299v (DSM 9843). Laboratory research shows both adhere to intestinal cells, but most human trials, including those on IBS symptoms and iron absorption, used 299v rather than 299.

What is Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014?

ATCC 8014 is a reference strain sold by the American Type Culture Collection for laboratory use, such as testing for niacin and pantothenate in pharmacopeial assays. It is a standard lab culture, not a probiotic strain with clinical trials behind it, so its presence in a product does not tell you about health effects.

How much L. plantarum should I take per day?

There is no official dose. Human studies typically use about 1 billion to 10 billion or more colony forming units (CFU) per day of a specific strain. The most useful approach is to choose a product that names the exact strain, states CFU through the expiration date and matches the dose used in that strain’s trials. Talk to your doctor first if you have a health condition.

Can you take L. reuteri and L. plantarum together?

Many products combine them, and both are generally well tolerated in healthy people. However, combinations are rarely tested exactly as sold, and benefits seen with one strain do not simply add to another’s. Choose products whose strains are named and studied, and check with your doctor if you are immunocompromised, seriously ill, pregnant or nursing.