Prebiotic Supplements Help Prevent Childhood Eczema

New research, published online on March 28, 2013, by The Cochrane Library, suggests that adding prebiotic supplements to infant formula may help to prevent eczema. Prebiotics, different from probiotics, are indigestible ingredients found in breast milk, fruit, and vegetables that stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria. Children included in the study were between the ages of 4 months and 2 years and were given standard formula or formula enhanced with prebiotic supplements. Children who drank the prebiotic formula were at a significantly lower risk for developing eczema than those who were fed standard formula.