Probiotics may ease eczema for children: RCT data

Daily supplements of the probioticLactobacillus plantarumCJLP133 may improve eczema in children, says a new study from South Korea.

The benefits were only observed during the supplementation period, and the probiotic did not persist in the gut after supplements were stopped, according to results published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology .

Levels of white blood cells called eosinophils that control the mechanisms of allergy significantly decreased in children receiving the probiotic, compared with the placebo group, report researchers from Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, CJ Foods R & D Center, and Chung-Ang University College of Medicine.

Levels of the allergy marker interleukin-4 (IL-4) were also reduced in the probiotic group.

While the probiotic was associated with improvements in symptoms of eczema, the researchers caution that the long-term effects of the probiotic strain remain because it does not persist in the gut.

Probiotics for AD

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is one of the first signs of allergy during the early days of life and is said to be due to delayed development of the immune system. It is a common inflammatory skin disorder, which occurs in early childhood and may persists into adult life. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists it affects between 10 to 20% of all infants, but almost half of these kids will 'grow out' of eczema between the ages of five and 15.

Current treatments focus on alleviating symptoms, but probiotics have been studied for over 20 years for their therapeutic benefits for the condition, with numerous studies identifying significant strain-specific benefits.

Study details

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Probiotics may ease eczema for children: RCT data