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ISSN 0973 - 0958
Long Term Consumption Effect of Probiotic Milk
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NUTRITION IN CHILDREN
EFFECT OF LONG TERM CONSUMPTION OF PROBIOTIC MILK ON INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN ATTENDING DAY CARE CENTRES : DOUBLE BLIND RANDOMIZED TRIAL
Source: BMJ 2001; 322:1-5.
This is a randomized double blind, placebo controlled trial carried out in 18 day care centres in Helsinki, Finland where 571 healthy children from 1-6 years of age were randomly given milk with or without Lactobacillus GG (5-10 x 10s colony forming units/ml) three times a day, five days a week (with a mean compliance of 60%) for seven months in winter. Of these 282 children with mean age of 4.6 years were given milk with probiotic and 289 children with mean age of 4.4 years were given milk without probiotic. Of these 252 children in the probiotic group completed the study and 261 children in the control group completed the study. The objective was to determine whether long term consumption of probiotic milk could reduce gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in these children. The parameters analysed were number of days with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms; absences from day care centre because of illnesses; number of children with upper respiratory tract infections with complications (acute otitis media and sinusitis) and lower respiratory tract infections (acute bronchitis and pneumonia) as diagnosed by a doctor; and antibiotic treatments during the seven month intervention.
It was found that there was no significant difference between the groups in the number of days with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms as reported by parents; however children in the probiotic group had a 15% reduction in the number of absent days due to illness. (4.9 days versus 5.8 days, p = 0.03). It was also found that time without respiratory symptoms was significantly longer in the probiotic groups versus control (5 weeks versus 4 weeks, p = 0.03). However time without diarrhea was not significant (25 weeks versus 24 weeks, p = 0.20). Number of children with respiratory infections (otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia) was lower in the lactobacillus group (97 patients versus 123 patients; 17% reduction). Also there were fewer children in the probiotic group who were prescribed antibiotics for respiratory infections (111 patients versus 140 patients; 19% reduction). There were no apparent side effects in either group.
Thus, long term probiotic intake may reduce respiratory infections and their severity in children.
This is a randomized double blind, placebo controlled trial carried out in 18 day care centres in Helsinki, Finland where 571 healthy children from 1-6 years of age were randomly given milk with or without Lactobacillus GG (5-10 x 10s colony forming units/ml) three times a day, five days a week (with a mean compliance of 60%) for seven months in winter. Of these 282 children with mean age of 4.6 years were given milk with probiotic and 289 children with mean age of 4.4 years were given milk without probiotic. Of these 252 children in the probiotic group completed the study and 261 children in the control group completed the study. The objective was to determine whether long term consumption of probiotic milk could reduce gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in these children. The parameters analysed were number of days with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms; absences from day care centre because of illnesses; number of children with upper respiratory tract infections with complications (acute otitis media and sinusitis) and lower respiratory tract infections (acute bronchitis and pneumonia) as diagnosed by a doctor; and antibiotic treatments during the seven month intervention.
It was found that there was no significant difference between the groups in the number of days with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms as reported by parents; however children in the probiotic group had a 15% reduction in the number of absent days due to illness. (4.9 days versus 5.8 days, p = 0.03). It was also found that time without respiratory symptoms was significantly longer in the probiotic groups versus control (5 weeks versus 4 weeks, p = 0.03). However time without diarrhea was not significant (25 weeks versus 24 weeks, p = 0.20). Number of children with respiratory infections (otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia) was lower in the lactobacillus group (97 patients versus 123 patients; 17% reduction). Also there were fewer children in the probiotic group who were prescribed antibiotics for respiratory infections (111 patients versus 140 patients; 19% reduction). There were no apparent side effects in either group.
Thus, long term probiotic intake may reduce respiratory infections and their severity in children.
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