Probiotics Help With Dermatitis

Probiotics Help With Dermatitis

COPENHAGEN, Denmark--According to a studyappearing in the February issue of The Journal of Allergy and ClinicalImmunology (111, 2:389-95, 2003) (www.aaaai.org),probiotics may be beneficial in managing atopic dermatitis. In a double blind,placebo-controlled, crossover study, children 1 to 13 years old with atopicdermatitis were given two probiotic Lactobacillus strains (L. rhamnosus and L.reuteri) for six weeks. After treatment, 56 percent of the patients experiencedimproved eczema, compared to 15 percent of those using placebo. The treatmentresponse, interestingly, was more pronounced in allergic patients.