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Probiotics Protect Top Athletes

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This is an older article that may not reflect Dr. Mercola’s current view on this topic. Use our search engine to find Dr. Mercola’s latest position on any health topic.

Probiotic supplements have been shown to reduce the number and length of infections suffered by long-distance runners.

Strenuous training can affect the immune system and make athletes vulnerable to coughs and colds, but a study has shown that taking probiotics more than halves the days that runners show symptoms.

The study focused on 20 top-level endurance runners during their intensive winter training program. All 20 received two month-long courses of pills -- one containing the bacterium Lactobacillus fermentum, and the other containing no active ingredients.

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