Probiotics effective in combating antibiotic-associated diarrhea

In four different studies presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 76th Annual Scientific meeting in Washington, DC, researchers explored the effectiveness of probiotics for antibiotic-associated diarrhea; as an anti-inflammatory agent for patients with ulcerative colitis, psoriasis and chronic fatigue syndrome; and for people with abdominal discomfort and bloating who have not been diagnosed with a functional bowel disorder, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

These four studies will be featured during an ACG press briefing on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 entitled: "Good, Bad and Ugly Bugs: Mother Nature as a Treatment for Better Health in the GI Tract," which will highlight new clinical science that explores the role of the "gut microbiota" –the bacterial composition of the GI tract – and the efficacy of probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation in treating various GI conditions.

Probiotics are considered "good bacteria" that help maintain the natural balance of microflora in the digestive tract where trillions of bacteria live. While most of the more than 400 different species in the gut are healthy bacteria, others, "bad bugs" have the potential to cause damage to the digestive system. At times, an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria can lead to uncomfortable symptoms or illnesses. Probiotics are bacteria, or even sometimes yeast, which may alleviate common GI symptoms and are found in many commercial products including yogurt, juices, soy products, fermented milk, tempeh and other dietary supplements. They also come in capsule, tablet or powder formulations.

Probiotic Therapy Reduce the Incidence of Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) are complications of long-term antibiotic use and are associated with significant cost and morbidity.

While the role of probiotics in treating AAD and CDAD has been investigated in several trials with conflicting results, this review, "Probiotic Prophylaxis Significantly Reduces the Incidence of Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea: A Meta-Analysis," by researchers from the Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, is the first meta-analysis examining the role of probiotics in treating these conditions.

Twenty-two studies were identified and a total of 3096 patients were included, 63 percent of whom were adults and all treated with various species of probiotics. Four studies (35 percent of the population of the study) used S. boulardii as the probiotic of choice. The average treatment period with probiotics was 1.5 weeks, with the shortest period being five days and the longest period being three weeks, according to Steven Shamah, MD, who presented the findings.

"Overall in twenty-two studies, probiotic prophylaxis significantly reduced the odds ratio of developing AAD by approximately 60 percent. This analysis clearly demonstrates that probiotics offer protective benefit in the prevention of these diseases," said principal investigator Rabin Rahmani, MD.