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Home » Probiotics reduce abdominal pain in children
The Facts:
- 141 children with IBS or abdominal pain received oral Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) or placebo twice daily for 8 weeks to assess the effects of the probiotic on symptoms.
- Compared with placebo, LGG significantly reduced the frequency and severity of abdominal pain, even during the 2-month period after treatment was stopped.
- Use of LGG probiotics significantly improved gut permeability in the children with IBS.
Dr Shaun Holt: Recurrent abdominal pain, which may or may not be diagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome, is a common complaint in children and is one of the most common reasons for referral to a specialist. As probiotics seem to be beneficial in a number of gastrointestinal disorders, it is perhaps no surprise that this small study found that probiotics reduced the frequency and severity of abdominal pain in children. The study had a number of limitations, but given the safety of probiotics supplements, a "try and see" approach can be recommended to parents of children with these symptoms.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/126/6/e1445
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