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News
:
Adding
prebiotics to infant formula can strengthen a baby's
immune system and help prevent a form of exzema.
Prebiotics encourage the development of 'good' bacteria
in the stomach, which scientists believe helps prevent
babies developing atopic dermatitis.
The Centre for Infant Nutrition in Milan which carried
out the research, found that little ones who had been
fed with formula including prebiotics were more than 50%
less likely to get the form of exzema than those babies
who did not have the prebiotic formula.
"To our knowledge this is the first time that it
has been shown that prebiotics can not only produce
favourable changes in the gut… but that these changes
can lead to a genuine clinical benefit," said lead
researcher Professor Guido Moro, according to the BBC.
"It appears that prebiotics can strengthen the
immune system and so reduce the risk of atopic
dermatitis during the first months of life."
Atopic dermatitis causes dry and itchy skin and is
linked to further atopic illnesses such as hayfever,
asthma and other allergies.
In 2002, researchers from Finland also found that 'good'
bacteria had exzema-fighting benefits when given to
babies.
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