Oral Supplementation with Probiotics May Benefit Patients with Lactose Interance
In a randomized study involving 60 lactose intolerant patients, supplementation with tilactase was found to significantly improve gastrointestinal symptoms and results of the lactose breath test after ingestion, while Lactobacillus reutri was found to be effective, but to a lesser degree. The author concludes, “This probiotic may represent an interesting treatment option for lactose intolerance since it’s use is simple and it’s effect may last in the time after stopping administration.”
Probiotics (mixed strains) Benefit Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Particularly Those with Loose Stools
In a placebo controlled study involving 70 adult patients with irritable bowel syndrome supplementation with a mixture of probiotic strains for a period of 8 weeks was found to significantly reduce pain including abdominal pain and defecation discomfort, and improve stool form. The results add to the body of evidence suggesting that probitoic supplementation may be a safe and effective treatment for patients with IBS.
Probiotics may Reduce Incidence of Fever, Rhinorrhea, Cough, and use of Antibiotics in Young Children
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 110 healthy children between the ages of 3 and 5 years, supplementation probiotics was found to reduce the incidence of fever by 53% and 73%, coughing by 41% and 62%, and rhinorrhea by 28% and 59%, respectively, during the winter season. As compared to the placebo group, the duration of fever, coughing, and rhinorrhea reduced by 32%. Furthermore, use of antibiotics was significantly reduced, by 68% in the single-strain group and by 84% in the multi-strain group. The number of days absent from group childcare reduced by 32% (single-strain) and 28% (multi-strain). The authors conclude, "Daily dietary probiotic supplementation for 6 months was 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."