L. reuteri Protectis reduces diarrhea, respiratory tract infections in healthy children

Healthy children attending day-care centres have a significantly lower risk of getting diarrhoea or respiratory tract infections when given a daily supplement of Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis, a study in 336 children shows. "Our study confirms earlier published data in proving that preventive use of L. reuteri Protectis in healthy children reduces diarrhoeic episodes. Moreover, the study demonstrated a reduction of respiratory tract infections in supplemented children", says Pedro Gutiérrez-Castrellón, Head of Translational Research Unit on Pediatric Nutrition, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Mexico and Academic Professor of Public Health at Medicine Faculty ULSA, Mexico.

Fewer sick days with Protectis

During the three months' long intervention the children receiving Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis had 67 per cent fewer days with diarrhoea or respiratory tract infection than children in the placebo group. When infected the episodes were also shorter than in the placebo group; diarrhoea was shortened by one day and the duration of respiratory tract infection was three days shorter compared to placebo. Moreover, the children supplemented by Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis had fewer days with fever, used less antibiotics and were less absent from day-care.

Healthier children save costs

Paediatric gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections also lead to considerable costs for the community, for visiting the doctor, medication and for being absent from school and work. By calculating the direct costs the investigators demonstrated that daily use of Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis saves costs both for the family and the community.

"The intervention was shown to be cost effective and therefore, both in terms of reducing disease and from an economic perspective, this trial adds independent support to previous evidence that daily preventive use of L. reuteri Protectis could be valuable for families and the society", adds Dr Gutierrez-Castrellon.

The study was published in the highly regarded medical journal Pediatrics on 17 March 2014 (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2014/03/11/peds.2013-0652.abstract). Study details are found through the attached link (http://www.biogaia.com/sites/biogaia.com/files/Gutierrez_2014_Study_design.pdf).

"This is yet another study that shows that L. reuteri Protectis has preventive effects in common infections. In several mature markets we can now actively broaden our sales efforts to the prevention market, which of course has a much bigger potential compared to the treatment market", says Peter Rothschild, President, BioGaia.

The new results confirm earlier data

Several studies have already shown that Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis can reduce the risk of suffering from various conditions. A study from 2011 showed that Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis could prevent diarrhoea and affect height and weight in children in Indonesia (Agustina). In 2005 a study was published in which Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis was shown to reduce the risk of fever, respiratory tract infection and need of antibiotics. The children who received Protectis were healthier and had fewer sick days than the children who received placebo (Weizman). A Swedish study performed with employees at TetraPak showed that those who received a daily supplementation of Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis had fewer sick days (Tubelius, 2005).

Source: BioGaia