Decreased number of days of fever detection and duration of fever with continuous intake of a fermented milk drink: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of elderly nursing home residents.

We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study to investigate the effects of a fermented milk on elderly nursing home residents. Eighty-eight participants each drank one bottle of fermented milk containing strain Shirota, or a placebo, on a daily basis for 6 months in winter. Peripheral blood, saliva, fecal samples, and clinical data were analyzed to assess the milk's efficacy. Fermented milk consumption was associated with a significant decrease in the number of days on which fever was detected and the mean duration of fever compared with these values in the placebo group. No significant differences were observed in other biological parameters. Continuous intake of this fermented milk could be beneficial for the elderly in terms of suppressing the number of days of detection of fever and the duration of fever, which usually increase in winter.