The effect of yogurt fortified with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. probiotic in patients with lactose intolerance

Masoumi SJ, et al

Published in Food Science & Nutrition

Methodology

Randomised controlled trial in 55 patients with lactose intolerance confirmed by a 75 g lactose challenge and hydrogen breath test; 27 received 100 ml/day of yogurt fortified with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. and 28 received non-probiotic yogurt for one week, with breath hydrogen and symptoms as outcomes.

Key Findings

55 patients with confirmed lactose intolerance were randomised to 100 ml of probiotic yogurt fortified with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium (27 people) or plain non-probiotic yogurt (28 people) daily for one week. Intolerance had been confirmed with a 75 g lactose challenge and hydrogen breath testing. After the week, breath hydrogen levels were lower in the probiotic group than in the control group, and intolerance symptoms were substantially fewer. The authors conclude the fortified yogurt safely and effectively reduces lactose intolerance symptoms.

Conclusions

Probiotic yogurt fortified with L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. could safely and effectively decrease lactose intolerance symptoms and HBT.

Limitations

Small single-centre trial of 55 people lasting only one week, with no placebo blinding described and the abstract reporting no effect sizes, confidence intervals or p-values for the main outcomes.