Probiotics May Cut Down on Children's Infections

Probiotics May Cut Down on Children's Infections, Study Finds - ABC News: "arents who want to reduce the number of coughs, stomach aches and infections in their children may want to reach for the probiotic yogurt, according to the results of a new study.

Researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center enrolled more than 600 children, ages 3-6, in a study to see if the strain of bacteria, Lactobasillus casei DN 114-001, could have an effect on common infectious diseases.

Parents in the study agreed to feed a drinkable yogurt regularly to their children. Half of the families received traditional yogurt and half received the probiotic yogurt, or yogurt that has beneficial bacteria. The parents did not know which type of yogurt they had.

By the end of the three-month study, the children who received the probiotic yogurt had 24 percent fewer gastrointestinal infections and 18 percent fewer upper respiratory infections than children who were getting regular yogurt."