Probiotics have not been found to prevent childhood asthma.
According to a new study from the University of Alberta in Canada, probiotics do not prevent children from developing asthma during their lives. The research was global, including almost 5,000 kids from Europe, New Zealand, Canada, Taiwan and Australia. The children who were used in compiling the data had either received the probiotics within the first year of life or had mothers who consumed the micro-organism while pregnant.
Probiotics are a bacteria that can be consumed in a variety of ways and are commonly found in yogurts or special supplements. Probiotics can be used to help treat a range of diseases and this study has confirmed that they can be used to prevent eczema in children, while also providing necessary nutrients to infants born prematurely.
The study’s data found that the rate of asthma among children who had received probiotics in their lives was 11 percent compared to the 10 percent of children with asthma who had taken a placebo instead. The difference is almost negligible, so researchers were able to dismiss the preventative effects of the medication for this purpose. The study does state that though probiotics might not be effective against certain diseases, there is little harm in giving them to your child.
Little harm, but maybe not completely harmless. Scientists also discovered a possible link between infants consuming probiotics and developing an infection in the lungs, but the information was not conclusive.
“This study identified a potential association between probiotics and lower respiratory infections. But more research is required to see if the two are indeed linked,” Meghan Azad, the study’s leader, said in the final report.
While probiotics might not be useful in treating asthma, US Air Purifiers Direct 2U has custom air purifiers to clean the air for your health.