Probiotics claim ‘needs research’

MORE research is needed before it can be claimed that probiotics prevent common childhood illnesses, an Irish dietitian has contended.

A new report claimed children who drank a yoghurt drink every day were 20% less likely to suffer from common infections. More than 600 children aged between three and six were given either a probiotic drink or a control drink over 90 consecutive days.

Researchers found that those who drank the probiotic drink had 24% fewer gastrointestinal infections such as diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting than those in the control group.