Daily gut routine
Bayer (Dicoflor) Ibsium S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856
A probiotic yeast with two large IBS trials and a pooled analysis behind the strain, sold in Europe and available in the US only through importers.
- Format
- Capsule, once a day
- Type
- Probiotic
- Cost
- £69.79 for 40 capsules from a UK importer; two capsules a day, the trial dose, is roughly $4.70 a day
- Customer rating
- No meaningful review base yet
What the accounts we could find say
No review base — the UK importer that stocks it publishes no rating or review count for this product.
Why it might work
Unlike bacterial probiotics, a yeast is not killed by antibiotics and does not colonize; it passes through in a few days. Laboratory work on this strain shows it dampens the gut’s pain signaling and inflammatory response and ferments some sugars, which is offered as the reason pain scores moved in the first trial and constipation in the second. The effect depends on daily dosing and stops when it stops.
What the research supports
Strain-level evidence from two large trials. A 2015 double-blind trial randomized 200 adults with IBS to 500 mg a day of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 (8 billion CFU) or placebo for eight weeks; 63% of the yeast group were responders on abdominal pain and discomfort against 47% on placebo. A 2016 trial in 379 IBS patients over 12 weeks found no difference overall but an improvement in the constipation-predominant subgroup. A 2017 pooled analysis of both trials, 579 patients, reported a higher responder rate with the yeast, with the constipation subgroup driving most of the effect. Both trials were funded by the strain’s maker, Lesaffre.
What the label discloses
Each capsule contains 4 billion CFU of dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 in a hypromellose shell, with no lactose, gluten, colorings or GMO ingredients stated; two capsules match the trial dose. The Dicoflor brand is Bayer’s, and the importer lists 20- and 40-capsule packs. No third-party test certificate is shown.
Who this tends to suit
We match this product to people reporting general abdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, bloating and constipation. It fits someone whose priority is day-to-day comfort or pain and tenderness. Whether it is the best fit for you depends on the rest of your answers — what you have already tried, what format you will take, and anything that has to be ruled out.
Where it may not fit
The label supports vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, no added sweeteners and minimal ingredient list. We flag this product for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding or taking prescription medication, and the quiz removes it rather than recommending it in those cases. That is a caution about who should be deciding, not a claim about the product. A capsule only works if you will take it once a day, every day.
Side effects and what to be aware of
No US retailer stocks this strain, so the link goes to a UK importer, prices are in pounds and shipping takes weeks. At two capsules a day, the trial dose, it costs several dollars a day. It is a live yeast, so anyone on immunosuppressant medication or with a central line should not take it, and anyone with a yeast allergy should avoid it. Reviews are not available to check against the trials.
Before you take this. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or taking prescription medication. Nothing on this page is medical advice, and no supplement diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents disease.
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Others we researched for the same job
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Related reading
Background on how this type of product works, read from the trial evidence.