Probiotics can Protect Children against Eczema

Probiotic supplements can lower children's risks of developing eczema, a chronic disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes, researchers say.

Probiotics also known as "good bacteria" are live microorganisms similar to helpful microorganisms found in the human gut. Taking probiotics, available in dietary supplements and foods like yogurt can keep people healthy.

Eczema or dermatitis is a chronic disease that affects approximately 10 percent to 20 percent of all infants. Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common types of eczema found among babies and children. According to the New York Presbyterian Hospital, more than 15 million American adults and children have atopic dermatitis.

For the study, lead author Negar Foolad and colleagues looked at 11,000 people, part of 21 published studies. Participants included infants and women who were either pregnant or breastfeeding, Reuters reported.

Researchers found that  probiotic supplements protect children at higher risks of developing eczema.

"It is intriguing to learn that probiotics, which can only be present inside the intestine, are able to remotely affect the skin," Dr. Sonia Michail, an associate professor at the University of Southern California and the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, told Reuters Health.

However, due to insufficient data and conflicting results, researchers couldn't prove effectiveness of other supplements, like prebiotics or omega-6 fatty acids to protect against eczema. Prebiotics are dietary components that help in the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

"It's hard to come to a conclusion about prebiotics and amino acid based (infant) formulas and black currant seed oil because there weren't a lot of studies" on them, Foolad told Reuters Health.

The study has been published online in the Archives of Dermatology.

Previous studies have shown benefits of taking probiotic supplements during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.  A study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology in October found children of pregnant or breastfeeding women who took probiotic supplements less likely to experience eczema, compared to others.