Probiotics may prevent C. diff-associated diarrhea in people taking antibiotics.

Reuters (6/1, Seaman) reported taking probiotics along with antibiotics may help reduce diarrhea associated with C. difficile, according to a review published in The Cochrane Library. For the study, researchers analyzed data from 23 studies encompassing some 4,213 patients of all ages on antibiotics.

        The Huffington Post (6/2) reported that investigators “found that when people took probiotics in addition to their antibiotics, they had a 64 percent lower risk of having Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, compared with people not taking the probiotics.” The investigators “noted that taking probiotics with antibiotics seemed to decrease the risk of side effects.”

        The NBC News (5/31, Fox) “Vitals” blog pointed out, however, that “the products don’t prevent the infection – just the diarrhea itself. And it’s still not clear just which products are the best.”

        MedPage Today (6/1, Laino) reported, “The findings add to a growing body of evidence that prophylaxis with probiotics confers protection against diarrhea in people taking antibiotics.” This “protection comes via a variety of mechanisms – improving the microbial balance of the host, counteracting disturbances in intestinal flora, and reducing the risk of colonization by pathogenic bacteria, the researchers wrote.”