Probiotic BLIS K12 Defends Against Variety of Oral Infections in Children, Study Suggests

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BLIS K12, an oral-health probiotic made from the strain Streptococcus salivarius K12, has shown benefits in past studies at reducing incidence of streptococcal pharyngitis in children and adults. But a new study, published in Drug, Healthcare, and PatientSafety, finds that the probiotics may also reduce the occurrence of a range of other, non-streptococcal infections in children.

BLIS K12 developer Blis Technologies (Dunedin, New Zealand) and North American distributor Stratum Nutrition (Saint Charles, MO) shared results of the study earlier this month, which included 124 male and female children aged 3–10. Children who experienced recurrent streptococcal pharyngitis during the previous year (n=48) took oral tablets containing more than 1 billion CFU of BLIS K12 every day for 90 days. For the same length of time, children without a history of recurrent streptococcal pharyngitis in the previous year served as an untreated control group. Researchers followed up with both groups for nine months after the end of the supplementation period.

To assess efficacy of the probiotic, researchers tracked the number of episodes of streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis, tracheitis, viral pharyngitis, rhinitis, flu, laryngitis, acute otitis media, enteritis, and stomatitis. In the probiotic group, which reported a total of 154 streptococcal pharyngitis episodes in the year preceding the study, only 16 such episodes were observed during the study period-a 90% reduction. Over the same period, the untreated control group experienced an increase in streptococcal pharyngitis episodes.

What’s more, compared to the control group, the probiotic group experienced statistically significant reductions to the number of episodes of viral pharyngitis (90%), tracheitis (95%), rhinitis (89%), flu (87%), acute otitis media (100%), laryngitis (98%), and enteritis (75%). The only studied condition for which the probiotic group did not experience significant episode reductions was stomatitis.

“In agreement with previous findings, in the present study it was found that the daily use of BLIS K12 has been associated with a concurrent and persisting reduction in the occurrence of pharyngeal, recurrent, streptococcal disease,” researchers concluded. “Moreover, the benefits to children may also extend to a reduction of nonstreptococcal diseases.”

Joseph L. Evans, PhD, founder and president of P& N Development Ventures and former executive manager of research and development for Stratum Nutrition, said that while previous studies have found BLIS K12 may reduce incidences of streptococcal pharyngitis during the active supplementation period, “these new findings demonstrate a persistent, protective effect even after cessation of usage.”

Read more:

Probiotic BLIS M18 Defends Against Dental Caries in Children?

BLIS K12 Probiotic May Reduce Halitosis in Children

BLIS K12 Probiotic Helps Fight Tonsillitis in Children, Study Suggests

Michael Crane
Associate Editor
Nutritional Outlook Magazine
michael.crane@ubm.com

References:

Di Pierro F et al., “Positive clinical outcomes derived from using Streptococcus salivarius K12 to prevent streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis in children: a pilot investigation,” Drug, Healthcare, and Patient Safety, vol. 8 (November 2016): 77–81