Probiotics 'do not relieve eczema'

[Posted: Wed 08/10/2008]

There is no evidence that probiotic products, such as yoghurt drinks that contain live bacteria, can relieve the symptoms of eczema, new research indicates.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can be introduced into the digestive system through food. According to a team of Cochrane researchers, the use of such products to treat eczema is on the increase.

Eczema is a group of skin complaints that can occur anywhere on the body. An estimated one in 10 people are affected at some point in their lives and symptoms can include an itchy, scaly red rash.

The cause of eczema is unclear, however sufferers do have different bacteria in their guts compared to people without the condition. As a result, some nutritionists have suggested that eating live bacteria that live in the gut could be beneficial.

The Cochrane researchers looked at 12 studies that involved 781 children diagnosed with eczema. The studies compared the severity of the condition in children who were given live bacteria, to the severity of those given a placebo. They found that probiotics provided no significant health improvement.

“Some doctors are recommending probiotics as a cheap treatment for eczema, but having carried out a systematic review we have found no evidence that they work for treating eczema,” said lead researcher, Robert Boyle, of Imperial College London.

The researchers noted that similar bacteria were given across all the studies, therefore they could not rule out the possibility that other strains might be beneficial. However they also found that in separate studies, 46 patients had reported suffering side-effects from using probiotics, including infection and bowel damage.

“There is no evidence that probiotics are a worthwhile treatment for eczema and they may be harmful for certain groups of people. However, further studies of new probiotics are needed because it is possible that different types of probiotics which haven’t yet been studied in eczema treatment could be more effective,” the researchers concluded.

For more information on eczema, see our Eczema Clinic at… http://www.irishhealth.com/clin/eczema/index.html