The best evidence lies with probiotics supplementation in mothers and infants in preventing development and reducing severity of AD .
Specifically , Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG was effective in long-term prevention of AD development .
γ-Linolenic acid reduced severity of AD .
Supplementation with prebiotics and black currant seed oil ( γ-linolenic acid and ω-3 combination ) was effective in reducing the development of AD .
Certain types of nutrient supplementation are beneficial in preventing AD development and reducing its severity .
OBJECTIVE To identify whether nutrient supplementation with probiotics , prebiotics , formula , or fatty acids prevents the development of  atopic dermatitis ( AD ) or reduces the severity of AD in newborns to children younger than 3 years .
Probiotic Bacteria in the Management of Atopic Disease: Underscoring the Importance of Viability
Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of oral supplementation of viable and heat-inactivated probiotic bacteria in the management of atopic disease and to observe their effects on the composition of the gut microbiota . Methods The study population included 35 infants with atopic eczema and allergy to cow 's milk . At a mean age of 5.5 months , they were assigned in a r and omized double-blind manner to receive either extensively hydrolyzed whey formula ( placebo group ) or the same formula supplemented with viable ( viable LGG group ) or heat-inactivated Lactobacillus GG ( heat-inactivated LGG group ) , respectively . The changes in symptoms were assessed by the SCORAD method and the presence of some predominant bacterial genera in the feces detected with 16S rRNA-specific probes . Results The treatment with heat-inactivated LGG was associated with adverse gastrointestinal symptoms and diarrhea . Consequently , the recruitment of patients was stopped after the pilot phase . Within the study population , atopic eczema and subjective symptoms were significantly alleviated in all the groups ; the SCORAD scores ( interquartile range ) decreased from 13 ( range , 4–29 ) to 8 ( range , 0–29 ) units in the placebo group , from 19 ( range , 4–47 ) to 5 ( range , 0–18 ) units in the viable LGG group , and from 15 ( range , 0–29 ) to 7 ( range , 0–26 ) units in the heat-inactivated LGG group . The decrease in the SCORAD scores within the viable LGG group tended to be greater than within the placebo group . The treatments did not appear to affect the bacterial numbers within the genera enumerated . Conclusions Supplementation of infant formulas with viable but not heat-inactivated LGG is a potential approach for the management of atopic eczema and cow 's milk allergy
The best evidence lies with probiotics supplementation in mothers and infants in preventing development and reducing severity of AD .
Specifically , Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG was effective in long-term prevention of AD development .
γ-Linolenic acid reduced severity of AD .
Supplementation with prebiotics and black currant seed oil ( γ-linolenic acid and ω-3 combination ) was effective in reducing the development of AD .
Certain types of nutrient supplementation are beneficial in preventing AD development and reducing its severity .
OBJECTIVE To identify whether nutrient supplementation with probiotics , prebiotics , formula , or fatty acids prevents the development of  atopic dermatitis ( AD ) or reduces the severity of AD in newborns to children younger than 3 years .