“Good" bacteria tested to prevent traveler’s diarrhea

If you travel abroad, you have a 50-50 chance of coming down with diarrhea, caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated by germs like E. coli and salmonella. Some have suggested bolstering the gastrointestinal tract before travel with “good” bacteria to counteract “bad” germs you might encounter. To put this idea to the test, researchers assigned 245 people to take either a preparation of the “good” bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus or an inactive look-alike preparation (placebo) twice a day. Participants began the regimen a day before their departure and continued until either they developed diarrhea or 3 days after the trip ended. The result: virtually no difference between the 2 groups in terms of developing diarrhea. The travelers’ destination or accommodations didn’t seem to make a difference. The researchers noted that although Lactobacillus acidophilus had no protective effect, it’s possible that other “good” bacteria may.(American Family Physician)