Zinc plus probiotic shows promise for shortening Kids' diarrhea
NCT ID NCT07168304
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study compared giving zinc alone versus zinc plus a probiotic yeast (Saccharomyces boulardii) to 276 children under 5 with acute watery diarrhea. Researchers measured how long it took for diarrhea and vomiting to stop. The goal was to see if the combination treatment speeds up recovery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- zinc and Saccharomyces boulardii (a probiotic yeast)
- What this could lead to
- If the combination works better than zinc alone, it could offer a simple, low-cost way to help children recover faster from acute diarrhea.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with 276 children. The results may not apply to all settings, and adding a probiotic may not provide a meaningful benefit over zinc alone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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276 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2025
- Finished
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Jul 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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1 month to 5 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Children of either gender * Aged between 1 month up to 5 years * Presented with acute diarrhea Exclusion Criteria: * Children with concurrent acute illnesses (meningitis, sepsis, or pneumonia) * Severe chronic conditions (cystic fibrosis, endocrinopathies, food allergies, or chronic gastrointestinal diseases) * Severe undernutrition (weight-for-age \<60% of the 50th percentile of CDC 2000 standards) * Children who used probiotics, antibiotics, or anti-diarrheal drugs within the past 7 days * The presence of visible blood in stools
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The Children's Hospital and The Institute of Child Health
Multan, Punjab Province, 66000, Pakistan
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.