Probiotics and Eczema

By this point in time almost everyone who has a passing interest in health and fitness understands the importance of probiotics. Probiotics are defined by the FAO/WHO as live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. The most common types of microbes used in probiotics are lactic acid bacteria, as well as certain types of yeast and bacilli.
Probiotics are most commonly consumed as part of various fermented foods that have active live cultures, such as yogurt, and also via various dietary supplements. They are especially influential on a healthy digestive system, and many individuals take probiotics supplements after using antibiotics to replace the beneficial flora bacteria that were destroyed by the use of the antibiotic in question.

The use of probiotics has become so commonplace that most medical professionals are recommending probiotics both during and after the use of any type of antibiotics. However, a recent Dutch study showed the potential for probiotic benefits reaching beyond simply the replacement of intestinal flora, especially in regards to helping build the immune system's resistance to allergies affecting the skin. In this specific case the study looked at the skin's reaction to eczema. The Dutch study examined 150 pregnant women who had some form of history relating to allergies in their family background, and during the last six weeks of pregnancy gave them either three strains of probiotics or an inactive placebo, with neither the women nor the doctors having knowledge of which group received the active cultures.
After the women gave birth, the Dutch researchers monitored their children, with the children continuing to receive either probiotics or placebos for 12 months. What the researchers noticed was that after three months the rate of eczema decreased drastically among those children using probiotics: less than half the number of cases versus those who were using placebos. After 12 months no placebos or probiotics were administered, and all of the children continued to be observed until two years of age. There was a substantial difference in allergenic responses between children who had been given a placebo, and children who had been given probiotics. The study was published in the Journal of Allergy.

Another recent study took a look at probiotics administered to mice, focusing specifically on allergic responses to food. This study was published in the Journal of Nutrition, and focused on mice that had some form of whey intolerance. They were fed probiotics and prebiotics while drinking milk, eventually showing considerable improvement in regards to their food allergies, culminating in almost no skin reaction whatsoever.

Considering the fact that in today's world up to 8% of all children present with some forms of various chronic food allergies, the benefits of such studies trending towards finding a natural remedy for these children in addressing their allergies is extremely important. It is yet another of the many ways that probiotics are increasingly being viewed as a powerful natural agent for individuals of all ages to maintain optimal health, not just effective digestion.

We highly recommend Baseline Nutritionals Probiotic Formula, click the link to learn more.