Probiotics Beneficial Against Infections in Kids
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition was conducted to investigate the role of Lactobacillus GG (LGG) in the prevention of gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections in children who attend day care centers.
The researchers placed a group of 281 children who attended day care in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. They were randomly placed in two groups, one that received LGG at a dose of 109 colony-forming units in 100ml of a fermented milk product, and a placebo that was of the same post-pasteurized fermented milk product without LGG, over the course of three months.
The children in the LGG group experienced a significantly reduced risk of upper respiratory tract infections, a reduced intervention period. Lactobacillus GG (LGG) can decrease the risk of upper respiratory tract infections including rhinitis, pharyngitis (throat infection), sinusitis, otitis (ear infection), and the common cold in children attending day care centres, claims a new study.
The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, also found that the rate of absence from childcare centres due to infections was lower in children receiving LGG in comparison to those who were not.
The researchers noted while the effectiveness of probiotics in the prevention of infections in children who attend day care centres has been investigated in several studies, they have had contradictory results, and thus further studies are required to evaluate their effectiveness.
Compared to the placebo group, children in the LGG group had a significantly reduced risk of upper respiratory tract infections, a reduced risk of respiratory tract infections lasting longer than 3 days, and a significantly lower number of days with respiratory symptoms. They did not experience a reduction of lower respiratory tract infections. Compared with the placebo group, children in the LGG group had no significant reduction in the risk of gastrointestinal infections, vomiting, diarrhea or reduction in the number of days with gastrointestinal symptoms.
The researchers also noted limitations to their study in terms of the fact that diagnosis and treatment of the children was based on clinical judgment, and secondly the rate of severe infections was very low and, therefore, no clear effect of LGG could be proven.
They also reported that as the study was conducted during the winter period, the season (summer) with highest risk of gastrointestinal infections was missed.
Nevertheless, the authors conclude that “considering the significant decrease in the number of upper respiratory tract infections in children treated with LGG and knowing that the number needing treatment (NNT) was only five, we can recommend treatment with LGG as a valid measure for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections in children who attend day care centres.”
Reference:
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/yclnu/article/PIIS0261561409002039/abstract
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