The Importance of Probiotics

A recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that probiotics, or "good bacteria" that live in the large intestine, may have some use in helping children fight stomach viruses.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/23624

We hear more and more talk about these probiotics, especially when the discussion turns to yogurt. Manufacturers tout the presence of these good bacteria in their yogurt products, but they tend to focus only on their benefits for digestion. While their role in digestion is critical, there is more to these microbes.

Probiotics are specific types of bacteria that live in the large intestine (colon) of humans. There are some familiar names like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium. If everything is functioning as it should, we never even know that they are there. However, there's trouble whenever probiotics are depleted.

In the short term, a lack of probiotics living in the large intestine can cause nausea, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, yeast infections, and abdominal pain. These symptoms are often tied to recent antibiotic use, and the probiotic counts bounce back after the antibiotic is out of the system.

If probiotic counts become too depleted for too long, then not only is digestion affected, but also the immune system. Probiotics produce specific chemicals that slow down digestion and combat harmful bacteria and viruses. Chronically low probiotic counts can give rise to severe Candidiasis--an extreme overgrowth of yeast, commonly Candida albicans, that can infect the colon, urinary tract, sex organs, and even the skin. Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Crohn's Disease may arise. The immune system may be so depleted that opportunistic infection, like E. coli, Salmonella, H. pylori, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) takes hold, creating a life-threatening situation.

Probiotics have also shown promise in helping patients with cystic fibrosis, eczema, food allergies, lactose intolerance, and dental caries (cavities). Research has also demonstrated that certain probiotics may reduce the risk of cancer, and some probiotics have been found to lower chronically high cholesterol.

Yogurt, cheese, garlic, and sauerkraut are common food sources of probiotics, but in patients who have major deficiencies, a supplemental source of probiotics is necessary. A high-quality probiotic should contain at least three strains of good bacteria and some prebiotics. A prebiotic helps the probiotic survive in its new environment and is usually a source of dietary fiber--inulin, oligosaccarhides, and pectin.

http://medind.nic.in/jac/t05/i1/jact05i1p67.pdf