A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 494 children showed that supplementation of Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis significantly reduced episodes of diarrhoea.
Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis was particularly effective in children with lower nutritional status. Another probiotic strain, which was also tested, was without effect. The six month long double-blind, placebocontrolled study was performed in Indonesia and included 494 healthy children aged one to six years. The children were randomly assigned to receive low-lactose milk with or without Lactobacillus casei 431 or Lactobacillus reuteri DSM17938. The results showed that the incidence of all diarrhoea episodes was significantly reduced by 32% in the group supplemented by Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis compared to placebo. In children with lower nutritional status (below median height and weight for the age group) Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis had a significant effect on both World Health Organization defined, and all episodes of diarrhoea. The study was conducted independently from BioGaia and the results were presented by Dr Rina Agustina at the International Symposium of Probiotics and Prebiotics in Pediatrics (IS3P).
