Taking probiotics would help prevent colds among the general population, according to an evaluation by Nutrimedia -a project that scientifically analyzes the veracity of nutrition messages-, which also concludes that their consumption could reduce the duration of these colds.
According to studies evaluated by Nutrimedia, a joint project of the Observatory for Scientific Communication (OCC) of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and the Ibero-American Cochrane Center, taking probiotics -live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, can provide benefits for health – both in the form of “foods that contain these good bacteria” and in food supplements, could reduce the number of colds and their duration among the general population.
Similarly, according to a recent Cochrane review, these microorganisms probably help reduce the number of children taking antibiotics to treat colds and other acute respiratory infections of the upper respiratory tract.
Nutrimedia indicates that this message is “possibly true”, however, “the certainty of this evidence is low and must be contrasted with future studies”.
The data indicate that, when analyzing the number of people affected by at least one cold or similar infection, it was observed that there were fewer among those who took probiotics than among those who did not ingest them -34 versus 44 colds per 100 people- and, in addition, the duration of the process was reduced by an average of 1.2 days among those who consumed these microorganisms.
From the UPF they also warn that, although the mechanisms of the beneficial effects on health of probiotics are not well known, there is limited evidence that they are useful for treating infectious diarrhea, preventing diarrhea associated with antibiotics and treating vaginal infections. in pregnancy.
Likewise, the adverse effects of probiotics have been studied in 8 of the 23 clinical trials analyzed in the Nutrimedia review, which include a total of 2,456 participants, and “they were few and mild”: the majority involved gastrointestinal symptoms. such as vomiting, flatulence, diarrhea and intestinal pain.
According to the Nutrimedia analysis, “studies on the effects of probiotics on colds and other similar infections provide results with a low degree of certainty for the main benefits and risks analyzed.”
“Larger and better designed studies are needed to obtain better estimates of the beneficial effects and possible harmful effects of the use of probiotics. Likewise, these studies should not have links with the companies that manufacture the probiotics analyzed,” concludes the Nutrimedia evaluation.
