The effect of yogurt fortified with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. probiotic in patients with lactose intolerance

This study assessed the effect of probiotic yogurt fortified with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. in patients with lactose intolerance. Fifty‐five patients suffering from lactose intolerance were randomly divided into control group of 28 lactose intolerance patients who received nonprobiotic yogurt (100 ml) and experimental group consisted of 27 lactose intolerance patients who received probiotic yogurt fortified (100 ml) with L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. Each individual received yogurt for one week. Lactose intolerance was confirmed when the patients received 75 g lactose and were positive after 30 min until 3 hr for lactose intolerance symptoms and by hydrogen breath test (HBT). After intervention, the hydrogen level was lower in experimental group in comparison with the control group. Lactose intolerance symptoms in experimental group were much less than the control group. Our findings revealed that probiotic yogurt fortified with L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. could safely and effectively decrease lactose intolerance symptoms and HBT, so our probiotic can be recommended as a treatment of choice in lactose intolerance patients.