Br J Nutr. 2013 Jun;109(11):1999-2007.
College students are susceptible to upper respiratory infections (URI) due to inadequate sleep, stress and close living quarters. Certain probiotic strains modulate immune function and may improve health-related quality of life (HRQL) during URI. The present study recruited apparently healthy college students and assessed the effect of probiotics on HRQL outcomes (i.e. self-reported duration, symptom severity and functional impairment of URI) in those who developed URI. LGG® and BB-12® may be beneficial among college students with URI for mitigating decrements in HRQL.
Br J Nutr. 2011 Feb;105(3):409-16
The impact of controlled administration of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 (BB-12) on the risk of acute infectious diseases was studied in healthy newborn infants. The infants receiving BB-12 were reported to have experienced fewer respiratory infections (65 v. 94%; risk ratio 0·69; 95% CI 0·53, 0·89; P = 0·014) than the control infants. Controlled administration of BB-12 in early childhood may reduce respiratory infections.