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Effect of Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3, B. bifidum MF 20/5 on common cold episodes: a double blind, randomized, controlled trial.

  • 2005-08
  • Clinical Nutrition 24(4)
    • M. de Vrese
    • P. Winkler
    • P. Rautenberg
    • T. Harder
    • C. Noah
    • C. Laue
    • S. Ott
    • J. Hampe
    • S. Schreiber
    • K. Heller
    • J. Schrezenmeir

Abstract

Background & aims: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the consumption of Lactobacillus gasseri PA 16/8, Bifidobacterium longum SP 07/3, B. bifidum MF 20/5 (5 x 10(7) cfu/tablet) during at least 3 months influences the severity of symptoms and the incidence and duration of the common cold.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention study was performed over at least 3 months during two winter/spring periods. Four hundred and seventy nine healthy adults (aged 18-67) were supplemented daily with vitamins and minerals with or without the probiotic bacteria. Cellular immune parameters were evaluated in a randomly drawn subgroup of 122 volunteers before and after 14 days of supplementation. During common cold episodes, the participants recorded symptoms daily. Stool samples were collected before and after 14 days of probiotic supplementation to quantify fecal Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria using qRT-PCR.

Results: The total symptom score, the duration of common cold episodes, and days with fever during an episode were lower in the probiotic-treated group than in the control group: 79.3+/-7.4 vs. 102.5+/-12.2 points (P = 0.056), 7.0+/-0.5 vs. 8.9+/-1.0 days (P = 0.045), 0.24+/-0.1 vs. 1.0+/-0.3 days (P = 0.017). A significantly higher enhancement of cytotoxic plus T suppressor cells (CD8+) and a higher enhancement of T helper cells (CD4+) was observed in the probiotic-treated group. Fecal lactobacilli and bifidobacteria increased significantly after probiotic supplementation.

Conclusions: The intake of probiotic bacteria during at least 3 months significantly shortened common cold episodes by almost 2 days and reduced the severity of symptoms.

Research Insights

SupplementHealth OutcomeEffect TypeEffect Size
Bifidobacterium bifidumImproved Immune ResponseBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidumReduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum G9-1Enhanced Immune System FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum G9-1Reduced Duration of Common Cold EpisodesBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum G9-1Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum SD-6576Improved Immune ResponseBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum SD-6576Reduced Symptom SeverityBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum UABb-10Enhanced CD4+ Immune ResponseBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum UABb-10Enhanced CD8+ Immune ResponseBeneficial
Large
Bifidobacterium bifidum UABb-10Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum VPro 51Increased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum VPro 51Increased CD8+ T CellsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum VPro 51Reduced Duration of Common ColdBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium bifidum VPro 51Reduced Fever Duration During Common ColdBeneficial
Large
Bifidobacterium bifidum VPro 51Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis BS01Improved Cellular Immune ResponseBeneficial
Large
Bifidobacterium lactis BS01Reduced Duration of Common Cold EpisodesBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis BS01Reduced Fever DurationBeneficial
Large
Bifidobacterium lactis BS01Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis/longumEnhanced Cytotoxic T Suppressor Cells (CD8+)Beneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis/longumIncreased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis/longumReduced Duration of Common ColdBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis/longumReduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis MAK16B42LEnhanced Immune Cell ActivityBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium lactis MAK16B42LReduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum BI-05Increased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum BI-05Increased CD8+ T CellsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum BI-05Reduced Duration of Common ColdBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum BI-05Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum BL03Improved Cellular Immune ResponseBeneficial
Large
Bifidobacterium longum BL03Reduced Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum KABP-042Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175Improved Cellular Immune ResponseBeneficial
Large
Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175Reduced Duration of Common ColdBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175Reduced Fever Duration During Common ColdBeneficial
Large
Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 MEImproved Immune ResponseBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 MEReduced Duration of Common ColdBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 MEReduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum SP54Increased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum SP54Reduced Symptom SeverityBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum UABI-14Improved Cellular Immune ResponseBeneficial
Large
Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum UABI-14Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum UABI-14Increased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Bifidobacterium longum UABI-14Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseriReduced Duration of Common Cold EpisodesBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseriReduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17Increased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17Reduced Duration of Common Cold EpisodesBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17Reduced Fever Duration During Common ColdBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17Reduced Symptom SeverityBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LAC-343Enhanced Immune Cell ActivityBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LAC-343Reduced Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LBV 150NIncreased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LBV 150NIncreased CD8+ T CellsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LG-36Enhanced Immune FunctionBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus gasseri LG-36Increased Gut MicrobiotaBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LG-36Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LQ-36Increased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LQ-36Increased CD8+ T CellsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LQ-36Reduced Duration of Common ColdBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri LQ-36Reduced Fever Duration During Common ColdBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus gasseri LQ-36Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri SD-5585Enhanced Cytotoxic T Suppressor Cells (CD8+)Beneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri SD-5585Increased CD4+ T Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri SD-5585Reduced Duration of Common Cold EpisodesBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri SD-5585Reduced Fever Duration During Common ColdBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus gasseri SD-5585Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri UALg-05Improved Immune FunctionBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus gasseri UALg-05Reduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus lactis LI-23Improved Immune ResponseBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus lactis LI-23Reduced Duration of Common ColdBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus lactis LI-23Reduced Fever DurationBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus lactis LI-23Reduced Symptom SeverityBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus sporogenesImproved T Helper Cell CountBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus sporogenesReduced Duration of Common ColdBeneficial
Moderate
Lactobacillus sporogenesReduced Fever DurationBeneficial
Large
Lactobacillus sporogenesReduced Severity of Common Cold SymptomsBeneficial
Moderate

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