The use of prebiotics and probiotics in Infant Formula

Gastrointestinal flora influences health; but the composition of flora can be changed with prebiotics or probiotics. The addition of probiotics to powdered infant formula has not been demonstrated to be harmful to healthy term infants. However; evidence of clinical efficacy regarding their addition is insufficient to recommend the routine use of such formula. The administration of probiotic (single or in combination) supplementation in infant or follow-on formula; and given beyond early infancy; may be associated with some clinical benefits; such as a reduction in the risk of nonspecific gastrointestinal infections; a reduced risk of antibiotic use and a lower frequency of colic and irritability. Confirmatory well-designed clinical research studies are necessary

Probiotics; with Special Emphasis on their Role in the Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Probiotics are live microorganisms; and when administered in adequate amounts; bestow beneficial effects on the host. The therapeutic and preventative application of probiotics in several disorders is receiving increasing attention; and this is especially true when gastrointestinal microbiota is thought to be involved in their pathogenesis; as in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Given the increasingly widespread use of probiotics; a thorough understanding of their risks and benefits is important. The purpose of this review is to update healthcare professionals on current probiotic information; and provide an overview of probiotic treatment approaches; with special emphasis on IBS

Probiotics in Infectious Diarrhoea : are they Indicated?

"Infectious gastroenteritis continues to be a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide and while ROTA-vaccination will certainly reduce prevalence; it is unlikely to impact significantly in this condition. The cornerstone of treatment remains replacement of water and electrolyte losses with oral rehydration solution. In areas with low vitamin A status; supplementation of the latter may be of benefit and in the future; the addition of zinc may become routine. A few years ago; probiotics were discussed primarily in the context of alternative medicine. Probiotics are now entering mainstream medical practice since they have been shown to decrease the severity and shorten the duration of infectious gastroenteritis by approximately 24 hours and are therefore a potent add-on therapy. Curtailing the duration of diarrhoea as well as reducing hospital stay; suggests a relevant social and economic benefit of probiotic treatment in adjunction to ORS in acute infectious gastroenteritis in children. Evidence in viral gastroenteritis is more convincing than in bacterial or parasitic infection. Mechanisms of action are strain specific and only those probiotic strains for which there is evidence of clinical efficacy should be recommended. In acute gastroenteritis; there is evidence of efficacy for some strains of lactobacilli (Lactobacillus (L) caseii GG and L. reuteri) and for Saccharomyces boulardii. Although probiotics are ""generally regarded as safe""; side effects such as septicemia have very rarely been reported."

Growth of Infants Born To HIV-Infected Women; When Fed a Biologically Acidified Starter Formula With and Without Probiotics

"Objectives: To compare the growth of HIV-exposed uninfected infants fed a biologically acidified milk formula with or without probiotics (Bifidobacterium lactis) during the first six months of life; with control infants fed a standard starter formula.Design: Multi-centre; double-blinded randomised controlled trial.Setting: Infants born to HIV-infected women delivering at one of three academic hospitals in Johannesburg; South Africa.Subjects: Consenting HIV-positive women; who had previously decided not to breast-feed; were randomised to receive one of three milk formulas for their newborn infants.Outcome measures: Comparisons of growth parameters through the first four months of life were made between infants fed the acidified formula without probiotics and those fed the control formula (""acidification effect""); and between infants fed the acidified formulas with and without added probiotics (""probiotic effect"").Results: Of 131 randomised infants; 33 (25) did not complete the study and 13 (10) were HIV infected; leaving 85 infants available for analysis. Infants receiving the acidified formula with probiotics had more rapid head growth (p=0.04) and showed a trend towards more rapid weight gain (p=0.06) over the first four months of life than the infants receiving the acidified formula without probiotics.No other significant differences between the feeding groups were demonstrated.Conclusions: Infants in all study groups grew well; with increased head growth and a trend towards increased weight gain for those receiving probiotics.There were no differences in morbidity between the three study groups and no evidence of adverse effects of the study formulas."

Les probiotiques

Les probiotiques sont des microorganismes vivants dont plusieurs souches ont ete decouvertes et selectionnees. Administres en quantites adequates; les probiotiques ont des effets benefiques sur la sante de l'hote.Plusieurs mecanismes d'action ont ete proposes pour expliquer le mode d'action de ces bacteries. En effet; elles peuvent augmenter la resistance aux pathogenes; produire des substances antimicrobiennes et agir sur le systeme immunitaire. Les resultats obtenus des etudes cliniques realisees; suggerent que les probiotiques pourraient grace a leur capacite d'adherer aux differentes surfaces de la cavite buccale; etre utilises pour la prevention et le traitement de certaines maladies bucco-dentaires. Parmi ces maladies bucco-dentaires on note la maladie carieuse; l'halitose; les candidoses et les maladies parodontales. L'objectif de ce travail est de mettre le point sur les probiotiques; leurs mecanismes d'action; ainsi que leurs effets benefiques sur la sante bucco-dentaire