Re: Probiotic Organisms


Probiotics
www.innvista.com

Probiotics is a term that means "for life" and defined as "live
microorganisms that beneficially affect the host by improving the
balance of the intestinal microflora". It is commonly used to refer to
"good" bacteria thatt one has to have in the body in order to maintain
a healthy immune system.
There are over 400 different known species of bacteria that inhabit
the normal bowel -- excluding viruses, yeasts, and parasites. To put
it another way, there are 20 times more bacteria in the body than
there are cells AND more than the total number of people that ever
lived on Earth. Therefore, having the right kind of bacteria in the
gut is very important since the intestinal tract is home to some 100
trillion microorganisms, but only a few of them are friendly.

History
Probiotics was first conceptualized by the Russian Nobel Prize winner
and father of modern immunology, Elie Metchnikoff, at the beginning of
the 20th century. He believed that the fermenting bacteria in milk
products consumed by Bulgarian peasants were responsible for their
longevity and good health. Recent research is now catching up with
what he already knew. The actual word was first used by Lilly and
Stillwell in 1965 as a contrast to the word "antibiotics". By the
1970s, "probiotics" was being used in the sense that we know it
today.

The use of live microorganisms in the diet has a long history and is
one of the oldest methods for producing and preserving food. Soured
milks and such cultured dairy products as kefir, koumiss, leben, and
dahi were often used therapeutically before the existence of
microorganisms was recognized. Such dairy products are mentioned in
the Bible and the sacred books of Hinduism.

It appears we have come full circle in our progress. The following
"History of Medicine" sums up this very well.

2000 BCE - Here, eat this root.
1000 CE - That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 - That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1920 - That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1945 - That pill is not effective. Here, take this penicillin.
1955 - Oops...bugs mutated. Here, take this tetracycline.
1960-1999 - 39 more "oops"... Here, take this more powerful
antibiotic.
2000 - The bugs have won! Here, eat this root.
We could take this one step farther and add:
2001 - Roots are not enough. Here, take this probiotic.
"Probiotics will be to medicine in the 21st century what antibiotics
and microbiology were in the 20th" (Dr. Michael L. McCann).

Today
Although probiotics are commonly used in Asia and Europe, the Western
World remains skeptical, requiring massive studies and legislation.
This may not be entirely a bad thing since an independent testing lab
found that eight out of 25 probiotic supplements tested contained less
than 1% of either the number of live bacteria claimed on the label or
the expected minimum of 1 billion.

Much of the world depends upon various fermented foods as dietary
staples. The most common fermented foods are kefir, yogurt, tempeh,
miso, sauerkraut, and kim chi. Most of Probiotics are bacteria with
the most common species being Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. An
example of a Probiotic yeast is Saccharomyces boulardii.

Unlike drugs, herbs, vitamins, and minerals, you cannot take too many
probiotics and overdose. It took some time for doctors to realize
that, when antibiotics were given, they destroyed the beneficial
bacteria as well as the harmful, thus making the body more prone to
secondary infections. Even with this realization, doctors still have
not yet associated the same type of flora destruction with what
happens during chemo and steroid therapies. Today, some 20,000 people
die every year from untreatable diseases caused by drug-resistant
bacteria - and that number is growing alarmingly.

Benefits
Probiotic organisms have several decided health benefits, which
include:

Assist such other natural antimicrobial agents as echinacea,
goldenseal, and garlic during intestinal cleansing programs.
Assist the liver in the detoxification process, thereby helping to
prevent such liver diseases as Hepatic encephalopathy (severe liver
dysfunction).
Bolster the immune system.
Decrease the incidence and duration of diarrhea, whether it is caused
by antibiotics, Clostridium difficile, rotaviral, or other pathogens.
Enable better growth development in children.
Have a positive influence on autistic children.
Have anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, and anti-allergic activities.
Help alleviate such inflammatory conditions as Crohn's disease and
ulcerative colitis.
Help prevent osteoporosis.
Help prevent colon cancer by preventing the breakdown of enzymes that
contribute to the growth of cancer-causing agents.
Help alleviate food, chemical, and/or environmental sensitivities.
Improve digestion and balance cholesterol metabolism.
Increase nutritional value of foods through better digestibility and
an increased absorption of nutrients.
Influence better intestinal and urogenital flora, especially after
antibiotic and radiation therapies, which are known to induce colitis,
yeast infections, and vaginitis.
Maintain mucosal integrity.
Manufacture, process, and help to absorb nutrients, especially the B
vitamins.
Manufacture lactase, which promotes intestinal lactose digestion.
Prevent and reduce intestinal tract infections, including those caused
by bacteria or viruses, Candida, and Helicobacter pylori.
Promote a feeling of well-being.
Provide an antagonistic environment for pathogens by normalizing
beneficial organisms. This encourages friendly ones to crowd out of
harmful ones, thereby blocking their adhesion sites in addition to
inactivating enterotoxins.
Reduce catabolic products (bile pigments) eliminated by kidney and
liver.
Reduce and eliminate overgrowth of small bowel bacteria.
Regulate gut motility, thereby reducing such conditions as
constipation.
Specific Probiotic Bacteria and Conditions
The following clinical probiotic studies have been reported as having
beneficial effects:

Normalize intestinal flora: Lactobacillus (acidophilus, casei,
plantarum) and Bifidobacterium bifidum
Stimulate the immune system: Lactobacillus (acidophilus, casei,
rhamnosus, plantarum, delbrueckii, johnsonii) and Bifidobacterium
bifidum
Diarrhea associated with antibiotics: Lactobacillus (rhamnosus,
acidophilus, bulgaricus), Saccharomyces boulardii, Bifidobacterium
longum, and Enterococcus faecium.
Diarrhea associated with traveling: Lactobacillus (rhamnosus,
acidophilus, bulgaricus, johnsonii), Bifidobacterium bifidum, and
Streptococcus (thermophilus, boulardii)
Diarrhea associated with the Rotavirus: Lactobacillus rhamnosus,
Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Streptococcus thermophilus
Acute diarrhea: Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus (bulgaricus,
acidophilus, rhamnosusm, reuteri) and Streptococcus thermophilus
Recurring Clostridium difficile colitis: Lactobacillus (rhamnosus,
boulardii)
Anti-tumor properties: Lactobacillus (acidophilus, casei, plantarum,
delbrueckii, gasseri) and Bifidobacterium (longum, bifidum,
adolescentis, infantis)
Reducing lactose intolerance: Lactobacillus (bulgaricus, rhamnosus,
johnsonii) and Streptococcus thermophilus
Lowering fecal enzyme activity: Lactobacillus (rhamnosus, casei,
gasseri, delbrueckii, acidophilus)
Consumption
During antibiotic therapy, taking probiotics as well keeps the
intestinal flora in proper balance. They can be taken together, but
not at the same time of day. In order for the probiotics to be the
most effective, they should be taken at least two hours after each
dose of antibiotic. When the treatment has been completed, double or
triple the probiotic supplements for about ten days or two weeks.
Probiotics should be taken with food or shortly after eating as food
dilutes the stomach acids enough for them to survive their trip
through to the intestines where they belong.

When taking beneficial bacteria or an antimicrobial agent, pathogens
begin to die off. This sometimes causes unpleasant side effects known
as The Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction, so named for the German
dermatologist who first identified it. As pathogens begin to die,
others try to escape by quickly exiting the body. When these microbes
appear in large numbers, the exit routes from the body begin to clog
-- much like rush hour traffic! It is at this point that the host may
begin to experience headaches, bloating, gas, or allergy-type
symptoms. Depending on the individual's level of tolerance for these
unpleasantries, the dosage of probiotics may have to be reduced until
the symptoms subside, and then increased slowly to the maximum
recommended. Regardless of first appearances, it is important to
realize that this reaction is a positive indication that all is going
well.





.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Probiotic Organisms
    ... There are over 400 different known species of bacteria that inhabit ... Probiotics was first conceptualized by the Russian Nobel Prize winner ... the most common species being Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. ... through to the intestines where they belong. ...
    (misc.health.alternative)
  • Probiotics Found To Help Your Gut`s Immune System
    ... Probiotics Found to Help Your Gut`s Immune System ... Probiotic bacteria, which are living microorganisms that have ... beneficial effects on human health, ...
    (misc.health.alternative)
  • RE: The Psychological Barrier To Probiotic Health
    ... The Psychological Barrier to Probiotic Health, or, "Yuck, I Don't Want ... Turns out that GOOD bacteria could be the antidote you need to ... combat the dangers of processed foods, stress, sugar, and medicines. ... newsletter reader -- you have probably heard of probiotics. ...
    (misc.health.alternative)
  • The Benefits Of Probiotics
    ... The Benefits of Probiotics ... bacteria at bay and stimulating the immune system. ... Certain studies have proven the many health benefits of probiotics ... Kefir is very easy to make. ...
    (misc.health.alternative)
  • Good Bacteria May Relieve Autism Symptoms(Mercola)
    ... Good Bacteria May Relieve Autism Symptoms ... bacteria known as probiotics might help treat autism. ... found probiotics (beneficial bacteria) to be an exception. ...
    (sci.med.psychobiology)