Zinc & Probiotics for Kids' Diarrhea: Does It Help?

observational-study PMID: 36660970

Quick Summary: A study found that giving kids with diarrhea both zinc and probiotics helped them recover faster than just using zinc, probiotics alone, or dietary recommendations.

What The Research Found

This study looked at how well different treatments worked for children with acute gastroenteritis (diarrhea). The best results came from giving kids a combination of zinc and probiotics. Kids in this group got better significantly faster than those who received only dietary recommendations, probiotics alone, or zinc alone.

Study Details

Who was studied: 132 infants and children with diarrhea.

How long: The study lasted from October 2020 to April 2021.

What they took:

Group 1: Only dietary recommendations.
Group 2: Probiotics containing specific Bifidobacterium strains.
Group 3: Zinc supplements.
Group 4: Both zinc and probiotics.

What This Means For You

If your child has diarrhea, talk to your doctor about zinc and probiotics. This study suggests that a combination of both might help them recover quicker. Always follow your doctor's advice and dosage recommendations.

Study Limitations

The study didn't specify the exact zinc dosage.

The number of children in each treatment group wasn't exactly the same.

More research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the best way to use zinc and probiotics.

Key Findings

The study found that combining zinc and probiotics significantly reduced the duration of diarrhea in children with acute gastroenteritis compared to monotherapies or dietary recommendations alone. The combination therapy group (zinc + probiotics) had a mean diarrhea termination time of 43.5±9.6 hours, which was statistically faster than the control group (84.5±10.7 hours, p<0.001), probiotics-only group (73.05±6.8 hours, p<0.001), and zinc-only group (80.1±10.3 hours, p<0.001). Zinc alone did not show significant improvement over dietary recommendations (p>0.05).

Study Design

This was a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled comparative study conducted at a pediatric emergency service in Turkey from October 2020 to April 2021. It included 132 infants (79 males, 59.8%) with acute gastroenteritis, divided into four groups:
- Group 1 (n=22): Dietary recommendations only.
- Group 2 (n=34): Probiotics (specific Bifidobacterium strains).
- Group 3 (n=28): Zinc supplementation.
- Group 4 (n=48): Combination of zinc and probiotics.

Dosage & Administration

The study summary did not specify the exact zinc dosage or probiotic formulation administered. However, it noted that interventions were given as single daily doses for a duration of 10 days. Probiotics contained four Bifidobacterium strains (breve, bifidum, infantis, longum).

Results & Efficacy

The combination of zinc and probiotics (Group 4) demonstrated the greatest efficacy, shortening diarrhea duration by 48.5% compared to the control group (Group 1). Probiotics alone (Group 2) reduced duration by 13.5% vs. control (p<0.05), while zinc alone (Group 3) showed no significant difference (p>0.05). The p-value for Group 4 was <0.001, indicating strong statistical significance.

Limitations

The study’s summary lacked detailed dosage information, which limits reproducibility. The sample size was unevenly distributed across groups (Group 4 had 48 participants vs. 22 in Group 1). The design was labeled observational, but methodology suggests a controlled trial, creating ambiguity. No data on long-term outcomes or adverse effects were reported. Future research should clarify optimal dosing, strain-specific probiotic effects, and safety profiles.

Clinical Relevance

For children with acute gastroenteritis, combining zinc and probiotics may enhance recovery, though dosing and formulation details are critical for application. The findings support current guidelines advocating zinc supplementation in pediatric diarrhea but suggest added benefit from probiotic synergy. However, results may not generalize to adults or non-clinical populations. Clinicians should consider this combination as a potential adjunct to standard care, pending further validation in larger trials.

Note: This analysis is based solely on the provided study summary. Full details (e.g., zinc dosage, probiotic CFU counts) may be available in the original publication.