The 12-week trial involving 390 toddlers compared the effects of a synbiotic supplement or probiotic alone on common conditions such as diarrhea, eczema and respiratory infections. “Probiotics alone were associated with beneficial clinical effects, while the combination of probiotics and 2’-FL showed a consistent trend toward broader protective effects,” the researchers wrote in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition. Previous studies have demonstrated that Bifidobacterium probiotics can improve levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), the gut’s first line of defense, and decrease markers of inflammation. They noted that larger studies are necessary to determine if 2’-FL has additional benefits beyond those achieved with probiotics alone. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1856180; “Precision synbiotic intervention with 2′-fucosyllactose and infant-derived Bifidobacterium modulates gut-immune axis and reduces disease risk in toddlers: a randomized controlled trial.”