West, Nicholas P., Horn, Peggy L., Pyne, David B., Gebski, Val J., Lahtinen, Sampo J., Fricker, Peter A., and Cripps, Allan W. (2014) Probiotic supplementation for respiratory and gastrointestinal illness symptoms in healthy physically active individuals. Clinical Nutrition, 33 (4). pp. 581-587.

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Abstract

Background & aims

To examine the effect of supplementation with probiotics on respiratory and gastrointestinal illness in healthy active men and women.

Methods

A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Four hundred and sixty five participants (241 males; age 35 ± 12 y (mean ± SD) and 224 females; age 36 ± 12 y) were assigned to one of three groups: Group 1 – Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bl-04 (Bl-04) 2.0 × 109 colony forming units per day, CFU per day, Group 2 – Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bi-07 (NCFM & Bi-07) 5 × 109 CFU each per day) or Group 3 – placebo mixed in a drink.

Results

The risk of an upper respiratory illness episode was significantly lower in the Bl-04 group (hazard ratio 0.73; 95% confidence interval 0.55–0.95; P = 0.022) compared to placebo. There was no significant difference in illness risk between the NCFM & Bi-07 group (hazard ratio 0.81; 0.62–1.08; P = 0.15) and the placebo group. There was a 0.7 and 0.9 month delay in the median time to an illness episode in the Bl-04 and NCFM & Bi-07 groups respectively compared to placebo (placebo 2.5 months; Bl-04 3.2 months; NCFM & Bi-07 3.4 months). There were insufficient GI illness episodes for analysis. The NCFM & Bi-07 group but not the Bl-04 group undertook significantly more physical activity (8.5%; 6.7%–10%; P < 0.003) than the placebo group.

Conclusion

The probiotic Bl-04 appears to be a useful nutritional supplement in reducing the risk of URTI in healthy physically-active adults.

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