Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and Reduced Respiratory Tract Infections

• Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 in reducing the risk of infections in early childhood

  • 2015-09-15
  • RCT · n = 109
  • Pediatric Research 79(1)
  • • T. Taipale
    • K. Pienihäkkinen
    • E. Isolauri
    • J. Jokela
    • E. Söderling

  • PubMed: 26372517
  • DOI: 10.1038/pr.2015.174

  3 Insights on

  • Reduced Respiratory Tract Infections

  • High evidence

  The infants receiving BB-12 were reported to have experienced fewer respiratory tract infections (RTIs; 87 vs. 100%; risk ratio: 0.87; 95% confidence interval: 0.76, 1.00; P = 0.033) than the controls.

  Effect

  Beneficial

  Effect size

  Moderate

  Significant

  Yes

• Comparative effectiveness of oral nutritional supplements in preventing respiratory tract infections among adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

  • 2025-10
  • Meta-Analysis · n = 751
  • EClinicalMedicine 88
  • • Zhixin Zhu
    • Xiaoxia Zhu
    • Yanru Chu
    • Bing Zhang
    • Yi Chen

  • PubMed: 40969681
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103479

  1 Insight on

  • Reduced Respiratory Tract Infections

  • High evidence

  Compared with placebo, ... Bifidobacterium animalis (RR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.99; n = 3; moderate certainty) ... [was among] the most effective interventions for reducing RTI incidence.

  Effect

  Beneficial

  Effect size

  Small

  Significant

  Yes

• Multi-Strain Probiotic and Common Infections in Early Childhood Education Settings: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

  • 2026-01-23
  • RCT · n = 118
  • Journal of paediatrics and child health 62(3)
  • • Hafiz Haris Ahmad
    • Blake Peck
    • Daniel Terry

  • PubMed: 41574644
  • DOI: 10.1111/jpc.70295

  3 Insights on

  • Reduced Respiratory Tract Infections

  • High evidence
  • Large Human Trial

  However, probiotic supplementation had no impact on respiratory tract infections (RTIs).

  Effect

  Neutral

  Effect size

  Small

  Significant

  No

• The Science behind the Probiotic Strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12®

  • 2014-03-28
  • Review
  • Microorganisms 2(2)
  • • Mikkel Jungersen
    • A. Wind
    • E. Johansen
    • J. Christensen
    • Birgitte Stuer-Lauridsen
    • D. Eskesen

  • PubMed: 27682233
  • DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms2020092

  14 Insights on

  • Reduced Respiratory Tract Infections

  • High evidence
  • Highly Cited
  • Rigorous Journal

  In terms of immune function, clinical studies have shown that BB-12(®) increases the body's resistance to common respiratory infections as well as reduces the incidence of acute respiratory tract infections.

  Effect

  Beneficial

  Effect size

  Moderate