Probiotics Did Not Prevent Child Care Absences Due to Infection in Danish Study

The increased use of probiotics to prevent and treat various illnesses has raised the possibility that infants and toddlers attending child care might be protected from frequent infections through regular probiotic exposure.

Researchers randomized 290 children in Denmark aged 8 to 14 months at child care enrollment to receive either a mixed probiotic (10⁹ colony-forming units each of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus) or placebo daily for 6 months. During this time, parents completed online questionnaires on child care absences, symptoms of illness (specifically respiratory and gastrointestinal), and doctor visits.

There was no difference in child care absences (primary outcome), with a median of 11 days for ea…