09.29.09
Indication: Cold and flu
Source: Pediatrics, August 2009;124(2):e172-9.
Research: Probiotic consumption effects on cold and influenza-like symptom incidence and duration were evaluated in healthy children during the winter season. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 326 eligible children (3-5 years of age) were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n=104), Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM (n=110), or L. acidophilus NCFM in combination with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis Bi-07 (n=112). Children were treated twice daily for 6 months.
Results: Relative to the placebo group, single and combination probiotics reduced fever incidence by 53% and 73%, coughing incidence by 41% and 62%, and rhinorrhea incidence by 28% and 59%, respectively. Fever, coughing and rhinorrhea duration were decreased significantly, relative to placebo, by 32% and 48%. Antibiotic use incidence was reduced, relative to placebo, by 68% and 84%. Subjects receiving probiotic products had significant reductions in days absent from group child care, by 32% and 28%, compared with subjects receiving placebo treatment. In light of these results, researchers find daily dietary probiotic supplementation to be a safe, effective way to reduce fever, rhinorrhea and cough incidence and duration and antibiotic prescription incidence, as well as the number of missed school days attributable to illness, for children 3 to 5 years of age.