Prebiotics

Indication: Eczema

Source: Archives of Diseases in Childhood, Epub ahead of print, July, 27 2006;doi:10.1136/adc.2006.098251.

Research:
Researchers wanted to find out if adding prebiotics to infant formula would encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria, and therefore reduce the risk of developing eczema. So they made an infant formula based on the prebiotic content of human breast milk, and tested it on a group of high-risk babies. One hundred and two babies were given the prebiotic formula, while 104 were given the normal formula. Researchers said although the mechanism of this effect requires further investigation, it appears likely that oligo-saccharides modulate postnatal immune development by altering bowel flora and have a potential role in primary allergy prevention during infancy.

Results:
Over a period of six months, 10 babies in the prebiotic formula group developed eczema, compared to 24 babies in the normal formula group.