THE PAULK CLINIC
PARENTS: PROBIOTICS HELP FIGHT THE COMMON COLD
A new study found that young children taking a supplement
containing healthy bacteria (probiotics) and fibers that support their growth
(prebiotics) got sick less often.
There may not be a cure for the common cold, but fortunately there
are steps you can take to prevent it, such as hand-washing and getting
enough sleep and exercise. And now it appears we can add taking a probiotic
supplement to this list. A new study, published in Therapeutic Advances
in Respiratory Disease, found that young children taking a supplement
containing strains of healthy bacteria (probiotics) and fibers that support
their growth (prebiotics) got sick less often than children who were not taking
the supplement.
Pro- and prebiotics can keep kids well
The 135 children, ages 3 to 7 years old, had all been sick at
least three times the previous winter with either respiratory or
gastrointestinal infections. They were given a combination probiotic-prebiotic
supplement or placebo once daily for three months in the winter. The supplement
contained 3 billion colony-forming units of a combination of
• Lactobacillus helveticus (previously classified
as an acidophilus species),
• Bifidobacterium infantis,
• Bifidobacterium bifidus, and
• 750 mg of fructooligosaccharides, a type of indigestible dietary
carbohydrate that enhances the growth of these bacterial colonies.
The children who took the supplement were sick less often than the
children who didn’t.
• About 69% of children in the placebo group and 52% of children
in the supplement group had at least one documented illness during the trial.
• 43% of children receiving placebo missed at least one day of
school due to sickness compared to 26% in children receiving the supplement.
• The treated children had fewer respiratory (those involving
ears, nose, throat, or lungs) and gastrointestinal illnesses, the most common
types of childhood illness.
None of the children taking the supplement experienced
negative side effects.
Reaching beyond the gut
“This study suggests that a three-month supplementation with this
[probiotic and prebiotic] preparation can decrease the risk of occurrence of
common infectious diseases in children and limits the risk of school day loss,”
the study’s authors said.
The findings support the notion that promoting the growth of
healthy gut bacteria has beneficial effects beyond the gastrointestinal tract.
“It is likely that probiotics are effective because they exert their effects on
numerous cell types involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses,” the
researchers speculated.
Staying healthy in the winter
Taking care of yourself in the winter can help you avoid colds and
flus:
• Practice a stress-reduction technique. Stress
weakens our defenses.
• Get regular exercise. Develop a winter exercise
routine that you enjoy—enjoyable exercise helps keep the immune system strong.
• Get plenty of rest. Adequate sleep is necessary for
the body to repair, heal, and fight infection.
• Nourish your body with whole foods. Stay away from
sugar, which can stop immune cells in their tracks.
• Use water as preventive medicine. A quick cold rinse
after every hot shower is a good way to stimulate immune cell activity. In
addition, gargling with plain water a few times per day has been shown to
prevent colds.
• Take some vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels have been
linked to increased susceptibility to colds and other infections. An extra
1,000 to 2,000 IU per day in winter is safe and reasonable.
• Consider a probiotic supplement. Whatever your age,
research suggests that the preventive use of probiotics can reduce the duration
and severity of common colds.
(Ther Adv Respir Dis 2010;4:271–8)
