Probiotics' benefits in eczema affirmed.

Evidence of the health benefits of probiotics continues to mount. A recent Finnish study published in The Lancet (2001;357:1076-79) has found that administering Valio of Finland's proprietary strain of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lactobacillus GG) to pregnant women and neonates halved the incidence of eczema in at-risk infants.

During the randomized controlled study, women who had either at least one first-degree relative or a partner who suffered from atopic eczema, allergic rhinitis or asthma took the Lactobacillus GG probiotic for between two and four weeks before delivery. The 132 resulting babies then took the probiotic either orally or in breast milk for six months. At two years of age, 46% of the placebo arm had developed atopic eczema, and this was twice the prevalence in the probotic arm (23%). In other words, treating nine children with Lactobacillus GG successfully prevented two cases of atopic eczema.

Mode of action

The authors suggested that the benefits might arise from "unique, yet largely unexplored, endogenous immunomodulatory properties." However, it is already clear that probiotics have several immune-promoting actions, including enhancing gut-specific immunoglobulin A responses (responsible for food ...