Lactobacillus plantarum

Stool
check icon Optimal Result: 2 - 4 Value.

All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.

What does it mean if your Lactobacillus plantarum result is too low?

If Lactobacillus plantarum is low on a stool test (such as GI-MAP, GI 360, or similar), it may indicate a compromised gut microbiome and can be associated with a variety of health concerns—including digestive disorders, immune dysfunction, and systemic inflammation.


What is Lactobacillus plantarum?

Lactobacillus plantarum is a beneficial, lactic acid-producing bacterium found naturally in the human gastrointestinal tract, saliva, and in many fermented foods (like sauerkraut, kimchi, olives, and sourdough). It plays a crucial role in:

  • Maintaining a balanced gut microbiota

  • Protecting the intestinal barrier

  • Modulating the immune system

  • Producing antimicrobial substances that inhibit pathogens

  • Fermenting dietary fibers into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially lactic acid

Because of its resilience, L. plantarum is often described as one of the most versatile and robust probiotics—it can survive stomach acid, colonize the intestines, and adapt to various pH and oxygen levels.


What Does Low Lactobacillus plantarum Indicate?

1. Increased Susceptibility to Pathogens

L. plantarum competes with harmful bacteria (e.g., E. coli, Clostridium difficile, Candida) and produces antimicrobial peptides like plantaricin. Low levels may reduce this protective effect, allowing opportunistic or pathogenic microbes to thrive.

2. Compromised Gut Barrier Function

This strain helps strengthen tight junctions in the intestinal lining, preventing "leaky gut." Low levels can lead to increased intestinal permeability, allowing endotoxins and food particles to enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation and systemic symptoms.

3. Weakened Immune Regulation

L. plantarum supports immune balance by enhancing regulatory T-cell responses and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines. Low levels may contribute to chronic inflammation, increased allergy risk, and autoimmune activity.

4. Digestive Symptoms

Because it aids in breaking down complex carbohydrates and fermentable fibers, low L. plantarum may cause:

  • Bloating

  • Gas

  • Constipation or loose stools

  • Poor absorption of nutrients (especially antioxidants and polyphenols)

5. Mood and Cognitive Effects

Through the gut-brain axis, L. plantarum helps regulate neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin. Low levels may influence mood, stress response, and cognitive performance.


What Causes Lactobacillus plantarum to Become Low?

  • Antibiotic use – Even one course can drastically reduce beneficial strains.

  • Poor diet – Low intake of fermented foods and fiber; high sugar or ultra-processed foods reduce probiotic survival.

  • Chronic stress – Alters gut microbiota and lowers lactic acid bacteria like L. plantarum.

  • Aging – Natural decline in beneficial strains over time.

  • GI diseases – IBD, IBS, SIBO, and infections can deplete L. plantarum levels.

  • Lack of exposure to fermented foods – Many Western diets lack traditional fermented sources.


Why Restoring Lactobacillus plantarum Matters

Studies have shown that L. plantarum supplementation or natural abundance can:

  • Reduce symptoms of IBS and IBD

  • Lower systemic inflammation (e.g., CRP, IL-6)

  • Improve skin health (e.g., acne, eczema)

  • Enhance antioxidant activity in the gut

  • Support cardiovascular health by reducing LDL cholesterol and blood pressure

  • Improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic control


How to Increase Lactobacillus plantarum

1. Targeted Probiotics

Use a clinically validated probiotic supplement that includes Lactobacillus plantarum. Look for strains like:

  • L. plantarum 299v – studied for IBS, stress resilience, and gut barrier support.

  • L. plantarum HEAL9 – shown to reduce colds and support immune health.

2. Fermented Foods Rich in L. plantarum

  • Sauerkraut (especially raw, unpasteurized)

  • Kimchi

  • Pickled vegetables (naturally fermented)

  • Sourdough bread (with wild fermentation)

  • Olives cured in brine

3. Prebiotics & Polyphenols

  • Eat fiber-rich foods (asparagus, garlic, leeks, bananas, oats)

  • Include polyphenol-rich foods (berries, green tea, red wine, dark chocolate)

  • Resistant starch (e.g., cooled potatoes, green bananas) also feeds lactobacilli

4. Reduce Gut Stressors

  • Minimize alcohol, sugar, ultra-processed foods, and unnecessary medications like NSAIDs

  • Avoid excessive hygiene or overuse of disinfectants (microbial exposure is important)

5. Stress Reduction

  • Mind-body practices, adequate sleep, exercise, and relaxation techniques all help preserve beneficial gut flora.


Summary

Low Lactobacillus plantarum suggests a disrupted microbiome and reduced gut resilience. It may compromise digestive function, immune balance, and even mental health. Restoring L. plantarum through probiotics, fermented foods, and lifestyle changes can have broad benefits—from gut healing to immune regulation and inflammation control.

Laboratories

Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place

We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.

lab corp logo
genova diagnostics logo
quest diagnostics logo
dutch test logo
doctors data logo
vibrant america logo
diagnostic solutions logo
zrt laboratory logo
the great plains laboratory logo
cyrex laboratories logo
spectracell logo

Pricing Table

decoration

Personal plans

$15/ month

Complete Plan

Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track all results with visual tools
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export your full lab history anytime
  • Share results securely with anyone
  • Begin with first report entered
  • Cancel or upgrade anytime

$250/ once

Unlimited Account

Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track all results with visual tools
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export your full lab history anytime
  • Share results securely with anyone
  • Receive 10 reports entered for you
  • Skip the $15/month subscription — no recurring payments ever

$45/ month

Pro Monthly

Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track lab results for multiple clients
  • Customize reference ranges per client
  • Export lab histories and reports
  • Begin with first report entered by us
  • Cancel or upgrade anytime

About membership

What's included in a Healthmatters membership

microscope icon Import Lab Results from Any Source

person icon See Your Health Timeline

book icon Understand What Your Results Mean

textbook icon

textbook icon Visualize Your Results

folder icon

folder icon

card icon Securely Share With Anyone You Trust

Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story

What Healthmatters Members Are Saying

5 stars rating

I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with  any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.

Anthony

Unlimited Plan Member since 2021

5 stars rating

What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!

Karin

Advanced Plan Member since 2020

5 stars rating

As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!

Paul

Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.

  • Individuals who want to track and understand their health over time.
  • Health professionals, such as doctors, nutritionists, and wellness coaches, need to manage and interpret lab data for their clients.

With a Healthmatters account, you can:

  • Upload lab reports from any lab
  • View your data in interactive graphs, tables, and timelines
  • Track trends and monitor changes over time
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export and share your full lab history
  • Access your results anytime, from any device

Professionals can also analyze client data more efficiently and save time managing lab reports.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

shield icon

We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.

gdpr compliance image hipaa compliance image