Anti-diarrhoeal medicines such as loperamide are usually effective in stopping diarrhoea, but probiotics can help ease symptoms and are generally well tolerated.33

Acute infectious diarrhoea symptoms can be shortened by an average of a day in children, but the response is dependent on the strain of microbe being used, and not all microbes considered probiotics will have an impact.3

There is strong evidence for use of probiotics in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhoea as well as reducing the risk of C difficile-associated diarrhoea, in patients taking antibiotics. One function of probiotics, boosting the immune response, may account for reducing the risk of hospital-acquired (nosocomial) diarrhoea in children. Probiotics may also prevent diarrhoea associated with radiation therapy.3

A five-day course of a probiotic yeast (Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745) has been shown to help improve recovery from rotavirus symptoms, with diarrhoea stopping after three days of symptoms in infants. Faecal analysis showed the low microbiota diversity improved with probiotic use. Being a yeast, it is also not susceptible to antibiotics.34