Lactobacilli

"Probiotic supplementation during pregnancy and then for the infants after birth could reduce the incidence of eczema. Mothers were assigned to receive daily supplements of Lactobacillus reuteri (BioGaia, 100 million colony forming units) or placebo from gestational week 36 until the birth of the child. After this point, the infants were then supplemented with the same product for the first 12 months of their lives, and followed until age 24 months. The incidence of eczema was similar between the two groups, reported Abrahamsson (approximately 35 per cent). The L. reuteri-supplemented group however had less IgE-associated eczema during the second year, eight versus 20 per cent, respectively.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is the predominant antibody associated with an allergic response.

Reactivity of the children towards skin prick tests, a common test for allergy, was also less common in the probiotic-supplemented group, and significantly for children of allergy-suffering mothers - 14 versus 31 per cent, respectively."