November 2005

Probiotic use may reduce sick days from work

Prophylactic use of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri can reduce sick days from work, according to the results of a randomized, double-blind trial reported in the Nov. 7 issue of Environmental Health.

In this study, 262 healthy employees (day-workers and shift-workers) were randomized to receive a daily dose of either 108 colony-forming units of L. reuteri or a placebo, administered with a drinking straw, for 80 days. Of 181 subjects who complied with the study protocol, 94 received L. reuteri, and 87 received placebo.

During the study, sick leave for defined causes occurred in 26.4 percent of the placebo group and in 10.6 percent of the L. reuteri group. Overall frequency of sick-days was 0.9 percent with placebo and 0.4 percent with L. reuteri.

In the subgroup of 53 shift-workers, 33 percent in the placebo group but none in the L. reuteri group reported being sick during the study period.

Source: Environmental Health, www.ehjournal.net

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