Are Probiotics a Panacea for Gastrointestinal Complaints?

Add irritable bowel syndrome to the list of diseases ameliorated by probiotics in children.

Probiotics are all the rage. In this randomized clinical trial, 141 children (mean age, 6 years) in Italy with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or functional abdominal pain (FAP) received either Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) or placebo in double-blind fashion for 8 weeks. The diagnosis of IBS or FAP was determined by clinical interview using a validated questionnaire.

Although the probiotic group had a significant reduction in the overall frequency of episodes and severity of pain (assessed on a visual analog scale and the Faces Pain Scale), the effect was confined to the 83 children with IBS. Significantly more children in the probiotic group than in the placebo group achieved treatment success (i.e., at least 50% reduction in the number a…

Reviewing Author

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)

Are Probiotics a Panacea for Gastrointestinal Complaints?

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Reviewing Author