Effect of probiotics on digestibility and immunity in infants: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT: The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of a fetus in utero is sterile but it becomes colonized with environmental microorganisms shortly after birth. Since the gut microbiota undergoes substantial changes in early life, healthy gut microflora is essential to an infant's gut health and immune system and probably also has an effect on overall health status in later life. Probiotics, defined as viable microbial preparations that have a beneficial effect on the health of the host, represent a rapidly expanding field. Although randomized controlled trials using probiotics in infants have shown promising results in the prevention and treatment of common diseases such as diarrhea and allergy, little is known about whether probiotics could offer benefits to healthy infants. We have designed a randomized

SUBMITTER: Xiao L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5411182 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature