Health Benefits Of Probiotics

There are many health benefits of probiotics and there is no doubt that food that contains plenty of lactic acid bacteria is good for our health.

But it is vital to understand that one probiotic does not work equally well against all disease.

If you take only one idea away from this it is that no single probiotic helps all problems. Scientific studies show that only a few strains have been PROVEN to cure or help with individual diseases.

However lactic acid bacteria in general are good for us.

So how do probiotics stack up against various diseases such as cancer and infections?

The following list of health benefits of probiotics have all been clearly established in various studies.

• Anti cancer effects
• Help with constipation
• Help with symptoms of lactose intolerance
• Helps with Serum cholesterol reduction
• Helps with vaginal and urinary tract infections
• Might protect against intestinal and urinary pathogens

We'll look at each one of these in more detail.

Anti cancer health benefits of probiotics

The eating of Lactobacilli such as some strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus has been shown to reduce the amount of cancer causing nitrates in both urine and faeces.

Evidence that the bacteria in the intestinal tract is intrinsically linked with overall health, including cancer risk, is emerging.

These good bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract can be influenced by the foods that we eat. Taking probiotics (in food or supplements) prebiotics (indigestible plant food) polyphenols or synbiotics can effect the numbers and types of bacteria and have been reported to reduce colon cancer risk experimentally.

Microorganisms also have the ability to generate bioactive compounds from parts of the food we eat. Some of these have experimentally shown they can retard cancers.

There exists a complex and dynamic interrelationship between the intestinal bacteria and colon cancer risk, and this can be modified by diet.¹

Serum cholesterol reduction - health benefits of probiotics

Long term use of Enterococcus faecium M-74 probiotic strain was associated with a reduction of serum cholesterol concentration.² This reduction was achieved mainly due to a fall in LDL cholesterol, as no significant alterations was seen in HDL and triglycerides.

Helps constipation - health benefits of probiotics

Many probiotics such as the one found in Activia yogurt (but read the reviews of Activia first because many folk have found that it gives a violent herx reaction and in effect "over-cured" their constipation - if you see what I mean!) cure constipation.

Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, the strain of probiotic found in Align is another which helps with consitipation. It also, conversely, will help with diarrhea. I had excellent results with Align when I took it whilst on a course of antibiotics.

One study showed good results for a yogurt containing strains of Lactobacillus plantarum⁵. I don't think at present there is such a yogurt made commercially but possibly you could obtain a similar benefit by eating yogurt and taking a supplement containing L plantarum. This particular probiotic is so good for general gut health anyway and has many fans amongst IBS sufferers.

Helps symptoms of lactose intolerance

Benefits of eating yogurt include it ability to help with lactose intolerance. Yogurt - both plain and flavored - that contains the two standard "starter" bacteria, Streptococcus themophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus will likely help if you are lactose intolerant.

Plain kefir is also of help with lactose maldigestion or lactose intolerance.³ Flavored kefir is not - perhaps the fruits used in flavoring affected the result.

Helps with vaginal and urinary tract infections

The health benefits of probiotics is proven with both vaginal and urinary tract infections with several strains having established conclusive proof whilst many more have anecdotal evidence.⁴

Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM is a proven strain as is the combination of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 found is probiotics such as Fem Dophilus.

Might protect against intestinal and urinary pathogens

In test tube studies, E coli was highly suppressed by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG found in Culturelle Probiotic, Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12,and Bifidobacterium longum 46.⁶

Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (found in Tu Zen) and Lactobacillus paracasei 8700 were highly effective against Salmonella enterica.⁶

Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 , Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 and Bifidobacterium longum 46 were effective against Shigella sonnei.⁶

L paracasei, L rhamnosus and L plantarum strains showed intermediate antagonistic activity against Helicobacter pylori.⁶

Experts look at health benefits of probiotics

When two medical experts looked at the evidence of health benefits of probiotics in the USA, assessing the number and quality of the various studeis, they found that clinical studies have validated the used of probiotics for the following conditions:⁷

• Viral diarrhea eg Rotaviral diarrhea - Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus GG, formula of Bifidobacterium bifidum and S thermophilus,
• Antibiotic associated diarrhea - Lactobacillus GG, Saccharomyces boulardii
• C. difficile–associated diarrhea - Lactobacillus GG, Saccharomyces boulardii
• Traveler’s diarrhea - Lactobacillus GG, Saccharomyces boulardii, mixture of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum,
• Atopic dermatitis - L fermentum VRI-003 PCC,
• Pouchitis - VSL 3 which is a blend of Lactobacillus casei, L plantarum, L acidophilus, L delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus, Bifidobacteria longum, B breve, B infantis and Streptococcus salivarius subsp thermophilus
• Irritable bowel syndrome - Bifidobacterium infantis, Sacchromyces boulardii, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v

They believed there was SOME evidence to support the following:⁷

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Crohn disease and/or ulcerative colitis
• Small bowel bacterial overgrowth
• Dental caries
• Infantile allergies and/or asthma (prevention)
• Lactose intolerance
• Colon cancer (reduction)
• High cholesterol

You can see that even the medical experts don't always agree on the health benefits of probiotics but there is certainly strong eveidence to support there use for many health problems.

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