The study looked at preventative measures for C. difficile. Researchers studied 20 randomized control trials, looking at 4,000 participants. They used a powdered probiotics along with the regular full spectrum antibiotics. The results were that patients who took probiotics had a 66% reduction in D. difficile instances.
Probiotics are living microorganisms that are thought to have beneficial effects to your bowls. You can naturally consume probiotics with fermented food, such as active culture yogurt, buttermilk, and naturally fermented pickles.
Dr. Mark Loeb, the co-author of this study, commented on the results. “People at high risk are admitted, given antibiotics and unfortunately, sometimes they acquire this bacteria and it could lead to serious complications. Sometimes, it becomes very hard to treat and get rid of, so prevention is very important.” He adds that, “Probiotics are not generally a standing order for high risk individuals. This is where this [research] could affect policy because it summarizes all the evidence and says look, doing something that’s relatively inexpensive, safe and potentially very effective is probably a good thing for patients.”
The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, with research from McMaster University and the Hospital for Sick Children.
Source: The Spec
