01 Jun 2016 --- A clinical study has confirmed the benefits of Lallemand’s Lacidofil probiotic formula (Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell-11 and Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell-52) in the management of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD).
The study, led by Dr Malkanthi Evans of KGK Synergize Inc., was conducted in Canada. ADD episodes were reduced by 24 hours on average. The findings will be published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
Lacidofil is Lallemand Health Solutions flagship probiotic formula. It is supported by twenty-six clinical trials altogether in children and adults, which corresponds to over 1700 patients enrolled. Lacidofil has been marketed for over two decades in many countries – with a drug status in some of them – therefore, Lacidofil benefits from a pharmacovigilance program demonstrating safety of use.
Clinically relevant benefit
The randomized double-blind, placebo controlled trial was conducted on 146 healthy adults. The subjects received a broad spectrum antibiotic treatment (amoxicillin-clavulanic acid) for one week in addition to the probiotic or placebo, followed by one week of probiotic alone. Patients were followed-up for up to nine weeks after the beginning of the treatment.
It was shown that, on average, participants supplemented with the probiotic experienced significantly shorter duration of diarrhea-like defecations events compared with those taking the placebo (see graph): 2.70 ± 0.36 days, compared to 3.71 ± 0.36 days for the placebo group (p = 0.037).
According to the authors: “decreasing the number of days of diarrhea after antibiotic treatment has clinical relevance, as it may reduce complications related to AAD. This is particularly important among patients who are more susceptible to severe AAD, as well as in attenuating the symptoms of AAD in individuals with a healthy digestive system receiving antibiotics for infections outside the gut.”
Moreover, this is the first study to demonstrate this beneficial effect with probiotics on AAD in a population of healthy adults.
Genetic analysis performed on the fecal samples collected all along this study enabled the probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus Rosell-11 and Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell-52 to be detected and quantified.
It appeared that both probiotic strains survived the intestinal tract when administered concomitantly with the antibiotic, confirming the compatibility of Lacidofil with broad spectrum antibiotic treatment amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.
Evan’s study comes to strengthen previous studies specifically in ADD with Lacidofil conducted in adults (3 studies) and children (7 studies), indicating consistently alleviation of AAD symptoms in patients.
1 Evans M, Salewski RP, Christman MC, Girard SA, Tompkins TA. Effectiveness of Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus for the management of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in healthy adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2016 May 12:1-10. [Epub ahead of print]
2 Nagulesapillai 2015 Detection and Quantification of Strain Specific Probiotics in Clinical Fecal Samples of Healthy Adults on Antibiotic Treatment by Quantitative PCR, poster, BenefiQ2015