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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Aug;116(8):1555-63.
doi: 10.1007/s00421-016-3415-x. Epub 2016 Jun 13.

Effects of Lactobacillus casei Shirota ingestion on common cold infection and herpes virus antibodies in endurance athletes: a placebo-controlled, randomized trial

Michael Gleeson  1 , Nicolette C Bishop  2 , Lauren Struszczak  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of Lactobacillus casei Shirota ingestion on common cold infection and herpes virus antibodies in endurance athletes: a placebo-controlled, randomized trial

Michael Gleeson et al. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016 Aug.

Abstract

Aims: To assess evidence of health and immune benefit by consumption of a Lactobacillus casei Shirota probiotic in highly physically active people.

Methods: Single-centre, population-based, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Daily ingestion of probiotic (PRO) or placebo (PLA) for 20 weeks for n = 243 (126 PRO, 117 PLA) university athletes and games players. Subjects completed validated questionnaires on upper respiratory tract infection symptoms (URS) on a daily basis and on physical activity status at weekly intervals during the intervention period. Blood samples were collected before and after 20 weeks of the intervention for determination of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) serostatus and antibody levels.

Results: URS episode incidence was unexpectedly low (mean 0.6 per individual) and was not significantly different on PRO compared with PLA. URS episode duration and severity were also not influenced by PRO. A significant time × group interaction effect was observed for plasma CMV antibody titres in CMV seropositive participants (p < 0.01) with antibody titre falling in the PRO group but remaining unchanged in the PLA group over time. A similar effect was found for plasma EBV antibody titres in EBV seropositive participants (p < 0.01) with antibody titre falling in the PRO group but increasing in the PLA group over time.

Conclusions: In summary, regular ingestion of PRO did not reduce URS episode incidence which might be attributable to the low URS incidence in this study. Regular ingestion of PRO reduced plasma CMV and EBV antibody titres, an effect that can be interpreted as a benefit to overall immune status.

Keywords: Common cold; Exercise training; Herpesvirus; Probiotic.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Training loads in MET-h/week over the 20-week study period for subjects who completed the study. PLA represented by open square symbols; PRO represented by closed diamond symbols. Data are mean and SEM. No difference between treatments. Significantly different from week 1: *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Percentage of the cohort reporting an URS episode for each week of the study period
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Plasma CMV IgG antibody titre in the PRO and PLA groups at the start and end of the study. Significant main effect of time (p = 0.023) and significant time × group interaction (p = 0.023). Significantly different from week 0 in PRO group only: **p < 0.01
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Plasma EBV IgG antibody titre in the PRO and PLA groups at the start and end of the study. Significant time × group interaction (p = 0.001). Significantly different from week 0: **p < 0.01 with decrease in PRO group and increase in PLA group
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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