| Title: | Kefir consumption and health effects based on human clinical trials : an overview of literature |
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| Authors: | ID Fijan, Sabina (Author)
ID Povalej Bržan, Petra (Author)
ID Šikić Pogačar, Maja (Author)
ID Klanjšek, Petra (Author) |
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| Files: |  healthcare-14-00652.pdf (442,35 KB)
MD5: 3B1BF87986E5AB75D095BCA92E6DFE22
 https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/14/5/652
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| Language: | English |
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| Work type: | Article |
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| Typology: | 1.02 - Review Article |
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| Organization: | FZV - Faculty of Health Sciences
MF - Faculty of Medicine
FERI - Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
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| Abstract: | Kefir is a traditional fermented milk beverage characterized by a complex community of lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria and yeasts that contributes to its unique sensory and nutritional properties. Regular consumption of kefir has been associated with a wide range of potential health benefits. This review aimed to evaluate the available clinical evidence on kefir consumption and its impact on human health. A literature search of the databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus was conducted up to 30 August 2025. Eligible studies were human clinical trials investigating kefir as a fermented milk beverage without the addition of defined probiotic strains, prebiotics, or synbiotics. A total of 28 clinical studies were identified and included diverse study designs, such as crossover trials, parallel-group randomized controlled trials, multi-arm trials, early-phase exploratory studies, and pilot studies. Kefir intake showed potential benefits for gut microbiota modulation, metabolic parameters, inflammatory markers, immune function, and gastrointestinal health. However, interpretation of these findings is limited due to substantial heterogeneity in kefir preparation, microbial composition, dosage, intervention duration, study populations, and outcome measures. Consequently, although kefir may offer multiple health benefits, the overall strength of evidence remains limited. Larger, well-designed clinical trials with standardized kefir interventions are needed to better define kefir’s efficacy in specific populations and health conditions. |
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| Keywords: | kefir, health benefits, randomized controlled trials, beneficial microbes |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Submitted for review: | 31.01.2026 |
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| Article acceptance date: | 02.03.2026 |
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| Publication date: | 04.03.2026 |
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| Publisher: | MDPI |
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| Year of publishing: | 2026 |
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| Number of pages: | str. 1-26 |
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| Numbering: | Vol. 14, issue 5, [article no.] 652 |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/DKUM-97431  |
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| UDC: | 637.146.21:613.2 |
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| ISSN on article: | 2227-9032 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 270539779 |
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| DOI: | 10.3390/healthcare14050652 |
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| Copyright: | © 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. |
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| Publication date in DKUM: | 06.03.2026 |
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| Views: | 295 |
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| Downloads: | 1 |
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| Metadata: |    |
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| Categories: | Misc.
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