Effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG® and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12® on health-related quality of life in college students affected by upper respiratory infections

British Journal of Nutrition
Q1
Oct 2012
Citations:87
Influential Citations:4
Interventional (Human) Studies
81
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Methods
Design: prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants: apparently healthy college students living on campus at Framingham State University, Framingham, MA, aged 18–25 (median 19; range 18–24), predominantly female; 231 randomized; 198 analyzed; URI outcomes assessed with Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey-21 (WURSS-21).
Intervention
Daily 5 g strawberry-flavored powder stick containing at least 1,000,000,000 CFU of Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGGw and at least 1,000,000,000 CFU of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12w; one stick per day for 12 weeks.
Results
Probiotic LGGw + BB-12w significantly improved health-related quality of life during URI in healthy college students. Compared with placebo, URI duration decreased by about 2 days (mean 7.11 vs 5.58 days; median 6 vs 4 days; P=0.001) and severity/functional impairment scores decreased by about 34% (placebo higher than probiotic; P=0.0003). Fewer school days were missed (0.2 days less on average); no difference in missed work days. Adverse events were similar between groups; no serious adverse events. Conclusion: The combination may mitigate decrements in HRQL during URI in this population; further research on mechanisms and cost-benefit analysis is warranted before widespread use.
Limitations
Missing HRQL data for some URI episodes; single-site study in a young, healthy college population; reliance on self-reported outcomes; limited generalizability; small absolute difference in missed school days; no mechanistic data; cost-benefit analysis not performed.

Abstract

College students are susceptible to upper respiratory infections (URI) due to inadequate sleep, stress and close living quarters. Certain probiotic strains modulate immune function and may improve health-related quality of life (HRQL) during URI. The...