CONSUMPTION OF PROBIOTICS HELPS TO PREVENT RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

According to the study, the daily use of probiotics is associated with fewer symptoms of upper respiratory tract disease in overweight and elderly people. The study was selected for presentation at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2021.

“The introduction of bacteria into the intestine to reduce the risk of respiratory infections is not a new method, but it is evidence that the intestinal microbiome has a complex relationship with various systems in our body. In general, the microbiome affects not only the intestines or liver, it regulates the work of the whole human body”, — said Benjamin Mallish, MD, lead researcher and lecturer in digestive diseases at Imperial College London, England.

The researchers re-analysed the diaries of 220 patients who had participated in a previous double-blind placebo-controlled study examining the effects of probiotics on weight loss. General symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, including cough, sore throat, and wheezing, were assessed. The researchers have found that participants who took probiotics during the six-month study period had a 27% lower overall incidence of upper airway damage compared to the placebo group. The greatest effect was among participants over the age of 45, and those with obesity. People with obesity are at greater risk of respiratory infections. Previous studies have shown that probiotics reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections in healthy adults and children, but data on the elderly, overweight and obese people are limited.

“These findings create additional interest in the "gut-lung" axis” – said Dr. Mallish. – “After all, not only the intestine sends the signals that effect on the lungs functioning. This works in both directions. Changes in the intestinal microbiome can effect on many aspects of our health”.

Source: Medicine and pharmacy news • № 6 (758) • 2021