Increasing work-place healthiness with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri: A randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled study

Abstract

BackgroundShort term illnesses, usually caused by respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases are disruptive to productivity and there is relatively little focus on preventative measures. This study examined the effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri protectis (ATCC55730) on its ability to improve work-place healthiness by reducing short term sick-leave caused by respiratory or gastrointestinal infections.Methods262 employees at TetraPak in Sweden (day-workers and three-shift-workers) that were healthy at study start were randomised in a double-blind fashion to receive either a daily dose of 108 Colony Forming Units of L. reuteri or placebo for 80 days. The study products were administered with a drinking straw. 181 subjects complied with the study protocol, 94 were randomised to receive L. reuteri and 87 received placebo.ResultsIn the placebo group 26.4% reported sick-leave for the defined causes during the study as compared with 10.6% in the L. reuteri group (p < 0.01). The frequency of sick-days was 0.9% in the placebo group and 0.4% in the L. reuteri group (p < 0.01). Among the 53 shift-workers, 33% in the placebo group reported sick during the study period as compared with none in the L. reuteri group(p < 0.005).

Probiotic intervention has strain-specific anti-inflammatory effects in healthy adults

“…Based on our present results, the Bifidobacterium strain might not be the most optimal strain against respiratory infections. Indeed, it is mainly probiotic strains from Lactobacillus genera-L. rhamnosus GG [34] , L. casei DN-114001 [35] , a combination of L. gasseri PA 16/8, B. longum SP 07/3 and B. bifidum MF 20/5 [5][6] , and L. reuteri [36] -that have reduced the incidence or symptoms of common cold or respiratory tract infections. However, the immunomodulatory effects underlying the results observed in these studies have not been fully elucidated.…”

Probiotic Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. cremoris and Streptococcus thermophilus induce IL-12 and IFN-γ production

“…LGG + LC705 + PJS + Bb99 DH5α GAS THS LGG LC705 1129 161 1/10 Bb12 Bb99 ARH74 PIA2 PJS THS LGG LC705 1129 161 1/10 Bb12 Bb99 ARH74 PIA2 [36][37][38][39][40] . It is of interest that for example L. rhamnosus GG has been effective in immune mediated diseases even though in the present study we observed that LGG induced very low cytokine production.…”

Probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri Ameliorates Disease Due to Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli in Germfree Mice

“…reuteri ATCC 55730 is a commercial probiotic strain that survives in the human intestine (34) and has beneficial effects in clinical trials of infant diarrhea, colic, and IgE-dependent eczema (29,30,33,36). L. reuteri was also shown to be effective in protecting interleukin-10 (IL-10)-deficient mice against spontaneous colitis (22).…”