Health Benefits Of Probiotics

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

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 can be influenced by the foods that we eat. Dietary modifiers such as taking probiotics (in food or supplements) prebiotics (indigestible or limited digestible food parts such as oligosaccharides) 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 biactive compounds eg. equol from isoflavones, enterodiol and enterolactone from lignans and urolithins from ellagic acid, 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 dietary components and eating behaviors.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!

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

REFERENCES

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