Probiotics relieve eczema
Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.
More posts by Christiane Fux All content is checked by medical journalists.A mix of special intestinal bacteria can help children with neurodermatitis. The probiotics improve itching and other skin symptoms.
A mix of special probiotics can help children with neurodermatitis: Taken in addition to standard therapy, the intestinal bacteria improve itching and other skin symptoms.
Researchers are only gradually deciphering how great the influence of the intestinal flora is on well-being. One thing is certain, however: the billions of sub-tenants control the activity of the immune system on a massive scale.
Because a large part of the human immune cells are actually on the move in the intestine - this is where they are needed: The intestine must be permeable to nutrients, and at the same time no pathogens should penetrate.
Gut microbes soothe immune cells
However, if the immune system is overactive, this can promote neurodermatitis. Researchers led by Vincente Navarro-Lopez have now drawn the opposite conclusion and examined whether more good intestinal bacteria have a positive effect on atopic dermatitis symptoms. A total of 50 children and adolescents between four and 17 years with moderate atopic dermatitis took part in the study.
Bacterial mix in the test
In addition to the usual treatment, half of the young patients received a tablet with an intestinal bacterial mix of Bifidobacterium lactis CECT 8145, Bifidobacterium longum CECT 7347 and Lactobacillus casei CECT 9104 every day for a period of twelve weeks - the remaining test subjects received a placebo tablet instead.
According to previous studies, the selected intestinal bacteria had a positive influence: They showed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and fought various pathogens in the intestine.
Significant improvement
In fact, the bacterial cure had the desired effect: the young patients who had taken the bacterial mix benefited considerably. In 96 percent of them, the so-called SCORAD index improved by an average of 83 percent. This records the severity of neurodermatitis. In the placebo group, on the other hand, the value fell by only 24 percent.
Less cortisone
The number of days on which steroids applied to the skin, such as cortisone, were used to treat inflammatory eczema, was also reduced under the bacterial treatment: the probiotic patients used them on 7.7 percent of the days observed, the placebo group on average on 10, 8 percent of the days.
This could also explain why the degree of improvement personally perceived by the patients differed less greatly in the two groups: 77 percent of the test subjects who had taken bacterial cultures reported a clear improvement, as did 53 percent of the placebo candidates.
It depends on the bacteria
The scientists assume that the tested bacterial strains may work better than those that were examined in previous studies. According to the scientists, the studies to date are not large enough to make a final statement as to whether probiotics help against neurodermatitis. This still has to be proven in the context of larger investigations.
