Health Benefits of Acidophilus

The benefits of Acidophilus are well known as more and more people gain improved health after taking Lactobacillus acidophilus supplements. It is the best know of all the probiotic Lactobacillus species and what a wonderful bacteria it is. It is a natural inhabitant of your mouth, gastrointestinal tract and vagina (if you have one!)

Health benefits of acidophilus

Not all strains of L acidophilus do all of these things although all strains will do you some good. In fact any lactic acid bacteria will do you a little good.

• It produces antimicrobial compounds such as acidolin, acidolphilin, lactocidin and bacteriocin
• It adheres to Caco-2 and mucus-secreting HT-29 cell culture systems¹
• It survives the journey through the gastrointestinal tract in both healthy and diseased people¹
• It may decrease the risk of colon cancer (it does in rats)¹
• Produces Vitamin K as well as many anti-microbial substances
• Some strains are beneficial for the gastrointestinal tract.
• Although other probiotics handle diarrhea better in general, this one has proved effective with diarrhea in patients receiving pelvic irradiation.⁵
• It adheres to cells in the vagina and urinary system which is important in the fight against vaginal infections¹
• It helps to crowd out 3 pathogens that commonly cause urogenital infections, including E coli ¹
• It prevents the adhesion (by over 90%) of Enterococcus faecalis 1131 to polystyrene¹
• Immune enhancement, at least if you're a mouse! I eat yogurt containing this probiotic with my cereal each day, confident that centuries of folklore wisdom will eventually be confirmed and reveal the full benefits of acidophilus. It is proven to enhance the immune system of mice¹ and many experts are convinced that it also benefits the human immune system.

• Helps keep H pylori at low levels.

• L acidophilus NCFM has shown in animal studies to have an analgesic effect (reducing pain) in the gut similar to that of morphine²
• NCFM may help with lactose digestion in lactose-intolerant people when taken in adequate amounts¹
• A blend of probiotic strains containing NCFM decreased the incidence of diarrhea in children¹
• NCFM led to a significant decrease in levels of toxic amines in the blood of dialysis patients with small bowel bacterial over-growth¹

Benefits of acidophilus - Gals only

If you're looking for an acidophilus based supplement especially formulated to treat bacterial vaginosis, then Femanol is well worth trying. It also contains neem bark extract, garlic and a multitude of vitamins and minerals. Many women have had excellent results with it.

Gy-na•tren Vaginal Health Solution Kit contains an oral capsule of 2 billion cfu of Lactobacillus acidophilus NAS and a vaginal insert containing the acidophilus and boric acid. Most effective for yeast infection.

What it can't do for you although many people think it can

Diarrhea - Whilst the benefits of acidophilus include enhancing the general overall health of your gastrointestinal microflora, if you actually HAVE diarrhea, or you're travelling to some place where you just KNOW that you're going to get it, there are other Lactobacillus species that are probably more useful, for example Lactobacillus reuteiri and Lactobacillus rhamnosum strain GG (commonly called simply LGG) would benefit you better. Bifidobacterium has also been shown to be of help and many yogurts and supplements have the two together.

Got acne - this probiotic probably won't help much. There really isn't much research to support the claims that it does. The talk around the forums seems to suggest it gives people acne more times than it helped. Having said that, there are acne sufferers who swear it has helped. Both the Harvard Medical School and the Mayo Clinic cite "limited scientific evidence" although they're both incredibly conservative.

Ooops! One little benefit you wish it didn't have

It can give you dental carries. Sorry I have to tell you that, but hey, no bug is perfect, right! It combines with proteins found in saliva and food particles forming plaque, which digest sugars and produces acid, which dissolves the calcium and even tooth enamel.

If you're lactose intolerant then this probiotic might give you abdominal discomfort and gas (flatulence), although some research claims that if the level of live bacteria in the yogurt is HIGH ENOUGH, then "lactose maldigestors" (their words, not mine - I would never call you that!) are able to digest it.⁶

Overall, the health benefits of acidophilus FAR outweigh any downside.

REFERENCES

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