Probiotics reduce self-reported symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection in overweight and obese adults: should we be considering probiotics during viral pandemics?
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Gut microbiome manipulation to alter the gut-lung axis may potentially protect humans against respiratory infections, and clinical trials of probiotics show promise in this regard in healthy adults and children. However, comparable studies are lacking in overweight/obese people, who have increased risks in particular of viral upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). This Addendum further analyses our recent placebo-controlled trial of probiotics in overweight/obese people (focused initially on weight loss) to investigate the impact of probiotics upon the occurrence of URTI symptoms. As well as undergoing loss of weight and improvement in certain metabolic parameters, study participants taking probiotics experienced a 27% reduction in URTI symptoms versus control, with those ≥45 years or BMI ≥30 kg/m2 experiencing greater reductions. This symptom reduction is apparent within 2 weeks of probiotic use. Gut microbiome diversity remained stable throughout the study in probiotic-treated participants. Our data provide support for further trials to assess the potential role of probiotics in preventing viral URTI (and possibly also COVID-19), particularly in overweight/obese people.
Date Issued
2021-03-25
Date Acceptance
2021-02-26
Citation
Gut Microbes, 2021, 13 (1), pp.1-9
ISSN
1949-0976
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Start Page
1
End Page
9
Journal / Book Title
Gut Microbes
Volume
13
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Sponsor
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust- BRC Funding
Identifier
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19490976.2021.1900997
Grant Number
RDA02
Subjects
Probiotics
gut microbiome
gut-lung axis
obesity
upper respiratory tract infection
Adult
Aged
Double-Blind Method
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Humans
Middle Aged
Obesity
Overweight
Pandemics
Probiotics
Respiratory Tract Infections
Self Report
Humans
Respiratory Tract Infections
Obesity
Double-Blind Method
Probiotics
Adult
Aged
Middle Aged
Overweight
Self Report
Pandemics
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
0605 Microbiology
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2021-03-25