Probiotics reduce the incidence of diarrhea during antibiotic therapy

At a Glance

According to a meta-analysis of 63 studies, taking probiotics significantly reduces the risk of developing diarrhea that often results from the use of antibiotics.

 Read more about this research below. 

Antibiotics are prescribed for the treatment of bacterial infections. They serve their purpose by killing the harmful bacteria inside the body. Unfortunately they kill many of the helpful bacteria within the body as well. This can create a disturbance in the flora of the gastrointestinal tract. A common symptom of this disturbance is diarrhea, which occurs in as many as 30% of those taking antibiotics. Probiotics are microorganisms that can help maintain or restore the balance of gut flora.

In a large meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers pooled data from 63 different randomized clinical trials to determine the usefulness of probiotics in the “prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.” The trials involved 11,811 participants, the majority of which were outpatients, but some of those included were hospitalized patients. The majority of the trials used a Lactobacillus based strain; the other strains included Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and/or Bacillus. Analysis of all the included data revealed that those taking probiotics had on average a 42% lower risk of developing diarrhea than those in the control groups.

The results of this meta-analysis support the idea that concurrent use of probiotics during antibiotic therapy may help maintain gut flora balance and reduce the incidence of side effects such as diarrhea.

Hempel S, Newberry SJ, Maher AR, et al. Probiotics for the prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association. 2012;307(18):1959-69.

Mutivitamin/mineral Supplementation May Improve Aspects of Brain Function in Healthy Children

 At a Glance

Twelve weeks of supplementation with vitamins and minerals was found to boost the attention scores of children, according to results published in the “British Journal of Nutrition.”

 Read more about this research below.

It is well known that adequate levels of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are essential for optimal neural functioning. A significant percentage of individuals, including children, suffer from deficiencies in one or more vitamins or minerals. This study investigated whether daily supplementation with a multivitamin could alter cognitive performance and mood in healthy children.

 

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 81 healthy children aged 8-14. The children were reportedly all healthy and free from food allergies. None of the children used other dietary supplements during the three months prior to the study. Participants were randomly assigned to daily multivitamin and mineral supplements or placebo for 12 weeks.

The children underwent laboratory assessments of their cognitive performance and mood pre-dose and at 1 and 3 h post-dose on the first and last days of the trial.  Assessments were also completed at home after 4 and 8 weeks at 3 hours post-dose. Cognitive performance was measured using a battery of laboratory assessments, which included tasks assessing mood and the speed and accuracy of attention and aspects of memory. The children in the vitamin/mineral group performed more accurately on two tests of attention. No effects were observed on measures of the children’s mood.

Although the results of this study require further investigation, it suggests that vitamin/mineral supplementation has the potential to improve brain function in healthy children.

Haskell CF et al. Cognitive and mood effects in healthy children during 12 weeks' supplementation with multi-vitamin/minerals. Br J Nutr 2008 Nov;100(5):1086-96.

Vitamin D deficiency common in US children

At a Glance

Research indicates that the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among children in the United States is higher than previously thought. Although several small studies had found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in specific populations of children, this study is the first to examine the issue nationwide.

 Read more about this research below. 

A study in the journal Pediatrics reveals a troublesome prevalence of low levels of vitamin D among children in the U.S.  

Researchers evaluated data from over 6,000 children aged 1 to 21 who participated in the National Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2004. 

Insufficient levels of vitamin D were defined as 15 to 29 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), and deficient levels as less than 15 ng/mL.

Over 60 percent of the children studied had vitamin D levels defined as insufficient. Outright deficiency occurred in nine percent of the subjects. If applied to the U.S. population, these percentages would be equivalent to nearly 51 million children with insufficient vitamin D levels, and 7.6 million children with vitamin D deficiency. Participants who consumed at least 400 IU of vitamin D per day were less likely to experience a deficiency, but just four percent of the children used vitamin D supplements.

In addition to its consequences regarding bone health, vitamin D deficiency can potentially increase the risk of future heart disease and other health conditions. The researchers concluded that physicians should be screening children for vitamin D levels, especially in populations that are considered high risk.

Kumar J.  Prevalence and associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in US children: NHANES 2001-2004. Pediatrics. 2009 Sep;124(3):e362-70.