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Probiotics: Studies
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Other studies have examined the possible effects of probiotics in preventing common childhood infections of any type. A recent controlled study (Weizman Z, 2005) compared two different species of probiotic microorganisms, Bifidobacterium lactis (BB-12) and Lactobacillus reuteri, for their efficacy in the prevention of common acute infectious illnesses in child care centers. The authors investigated whether probiotic foods containing either B. lactis or L. reuteri decrease the risk of diarrhea, respiratory symptoms, fever and other ”morbidity parameters” compared with a placebo formula. The probiotic groups had fewer and shorter episodes of diarrhea but there was no difference in effect on respiratory illnesses between groups. These effects were more prominent with L. reuteri. Probiotic supplementation is thought to provide a significant microbial stimulus for the immature immune system thereby confering protection gainst atopic disease, promoting the non-atopic mode of immune responsiveness.
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Probiotics might help prevent colds,43 possibly by improving immunity . 40-42,83 On a related note, one small, double-blind study found evidence that use of the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus fermentum improved the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine. 135 (The probiotic supplement was taken in two doses: one, two weeks before the vaccine, the other, two weeks after.)
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"Our goal was to address whether the metabolic activity of probiotics was mandatory for their protective effect," said the study's senior author, Eyal Raz, M.D., professor of medicine at UCSD. Raz noted that previous studies had tried heat killing of probiotics to inactivate them, but this process destroyed the cellular structure and beneficial aspects. In the new experiments, the team used gamma radiation on the bacteria, reducing metabolic activity to a minimum.
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Certain probiotics, such as L. reuteri, have been clinically proven to significantly help with diarrhea in infants and in young children. These probiotics do this by helping to improve the barrier in the gut, and by boosting the immune system. In turn, probiotics provide quicker recovery from diarrhea. In scientific studies, probiotics helped to reduce the severity, as well as the frequency, of diarrhea. When it comes to diarrhea that is caused as a side effect of taking an antibiotic medication, probiotics tend to be even more effective at helping with that sort of diarrhea.
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In addition, recent research suggests a number of new potential uses for probiotics. One study in Sweden found that a group of employees who were given probiotics missed less work due to illness than did employees who were not given probiotics. Other studies have found probiotics to be helpful in managing the signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
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This BCC study presents a comprehensive picture of recent trends in the U.S. probiotics industry through 2004 and develops market projections for 2005 through 2010. The report covers probiotics as ingredients as well as probiotic applications for supplements and foods. It identifies a number of factors that have shaped historic trends in sales revenues and those that are projected to contribute to future trends in the sales of probiotics. The central roles of scientific research, consumer awareness and government regulatory provisions are presented and discussed in detail.
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