A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study On The Efficacy Of Bifidobacterium Longum Bb536 In Reducing Symptoms Of Respiratory And Gastrointestinal Diseases Among Young Children
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Date
2018-03
Authors
Lau, Amy Sie Yik
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Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Probiotics have been extensively used and may be effective in alleviating symptoms and reducing the occurrences of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases, but their efficacy remains controversial due to strain and host dependency. Children who are attending day care centres have 1.5 to 3.0 times higher risk of getting respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases than those who are not attending day care centres. This randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial which was carried out for a period of 10 months was aimed to evaluate the effects of oral administration of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 in preventing acute diarrhea and/or respiratory-related diseases among young children in Malaysia. A total of 520 healthy young children aged from 2 to 6 years were recruited and randomized into two groups to receive either BB536 powder at a fixed dosage of 5x109 CFU/day or placebo powder for five days per week for 10 months. The BB536 powder and placebo powder, which were imported from Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Japan, have been manufactured under a HACCP certified manufacturing plant. The BB536 powder contains probiotic BB536 and dextrin as carrier while placebo contains 100% dextrin. Baseline questionnaires (Basic Lifestyle and Demographic Information Questionnaire) were distributed and collected before the intervention was started while monthly questionnaires (Health Condition Questionnaire) were distributed and collected every month. Fecal samples were collected at 0th, 5th and 10th month of the study for gut microbiota profile and fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentration analysis.
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Keywords
The efficacy of bifidobacterium longum , reducing symptoms of respiratory and gastrointestinal