Lactobacillus salivarius

Ligilactobacillus salivarius · L. salivarius

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Unexplained infertility¹ Group B Streptococcus colonization² Mastitis prevention³ Atopic dermatitis^4–6 Oral malodor^7–9 Neonatal jaundice adjunct^{10, 11} Recurrent otitis media¹²	Immune-compromised conditions¹³ Milk or soy allergy¹⁴

Ligilactobacillus salivarius (formerly Lactobacillus salivarius) is a lactic acid bacterium native to the human mouth and gut, where it supports barrier function, shapes immune signaling, and antagonizes pathogens¹⁵. Supplementation is strain-specific and used mainly for reproductive tract health: unexplained infertility before in vitro fertilization, Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in pregnancy, and mastitis during lactation. Other uses are oral malodor and atopic dermatitis in adults and children.

Evidence is strain-specific and rests on small trials.⁸ In halitosis, results are mixed: one crossover trial lowered volatile sulfur compounds but not organoleptic scores versus placebo⁸. A randomized trial in endurance athletes found no reduction in upper respiratory tract infections¹⁶. A 2026 cell-culture study in dysplastic oral keratinocytes found reduced expression of two cancer-related genes; no human trial has tested this¹⁷. Many products list L. salivarius, mostly capsules and often multi-strain blends; see Form comparison.

Health Canada lists immune-compromised conditions as a contraindication on licensed products¹³. A rare case of endocarditis after dental extraction was attributed to this species¹⁸.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

55 sources, 41 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources