I’m a big advocate of redefining many skin conditions as gut conditions. More than ever before researchers are demonstrating that inflammatory skin conditions such as Atopic Dermatitis (AD) are often side effects of poor gut health, where the right probiotic strain may help improve the cutaneous symptom. The clinical efficacy of Lactobacillus Acidophilus DDS1, combined with Bifidobacterium Lactis UABla-12 was assessed in preschool children with AD. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 90 children with
moderate to severe AD were given either the probiotic at a dosage of 5 billion CFU twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks.[1]
The primary outcome measure was the percentage change in the Scoring of
Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) value. At 8 weeks, children given probiotics saw a 33.7% reduction in their SCORAD value, compared to 19.4% in the placebo group.
Secondary outcome measures included changes in the Infant Dermatitis Quality Of Life (IDQOL) and Dermatitis Family Impact (DFI) scores, frequency of topical corticosteroid used, and lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD22 and CD25) in the peripheral blood were measured by laser flow cytometry. CD4 and CD25 lymphocytes are often elevated in AD while CD8 is reduced.
Again, at week 8 both IDQOL and DFI scores decreased significantly from baseline by 33% and 35.2% in the probiotic group compared to 19% and 23.8% in the placebo group respectively. Use of topical corticosteroids during the 8-week trial period averaged
7.7 g less in the probiotic group too. The percentage of CD4, and the percentage and absolute count of CD25 lymphocyte subsets decreased while the absolute count of CD8 increased significantly in the probiotic group compared to the placebo group at week 8.
These results suggest that at 5 billion CFU/day for 8 weeks Lactobacillus Acidophilus DDS1, combined with Bifidobacterium Lactis UABla-12 may help in the management of Atopic Dermatitis.
Reference:
[1] Gerasimov SV, Vasjuta VV, Myhovych OO et al. Am J Clin Dermatol 2010;11:351–61.
Disclaimer: The statements made in this blog post are for educational and entertainment purposes only. They are not intended to diagnose or treat any individual or condition. If you are concerned about your health please consult your licensed medical doctor before changing your diet or taking supplements. This website uses affiliate links, which means the author may earn from products and services recommended although it should be noted that this is not at an additional cost to the consumer.
Comments