A new analysis of past studies suggests that certain probiotics may help otherwise healthy children recover faster from respiratory tract infections, such as colds and flu. The review combined data from multiple trials involving 1,158 children and looked at how different probiotic regimens affected symptoms like cough, fever, and how long the illness lasted.
The findings showed that Bifidobacterium probiotics shortened cough duration by about 1.12 days, while Lactobacillus shortened overall illness duration by about 1.31 days for upper respiratory infections and 1.36 days for lower respiratory infections. Lactobacillus also shortened antibiotic use by about 1.70 days in upper respiratory infections. A combination of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium shortened fever by about 2 days in upper respiratory infections and reduced fever and antibiotic use in recurrent respiratory infections by 7.10 and 10.50 days, respectively.
However, the evidence for the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium combination was low-certainty, meaning we can't be confident in those results. The analysis also found that one study reported similar rates of stomach-related side effects between probiotic and control groups, but other safety details were not reported.
This is a network meta-analysis, which is a type of study that combines results from multiple trials. While the findings are promising, they are not definitive. The authors note that more rigorous studies are needed to confirm the benefits of specific probiotic combinations. For now, parents should talk to their child's doctor before giving probiotics for an infection.
