There is a newfound interest in probiotics, and food companies haven’t missed a beat. They have put these latest
nutritional money-makers into flavoured sticks, special drinks, yogourts, cheese, and anything else you can put a bite on.
The
word probiotic comes from the Greek: “pro” meaning promoting and “biotic” meaning life. Probiotics
are dietary supplements that contain bacteria that are naturally occurring in the human intestine and are beneficial to health.
Hard Workers
These good bacteria colonize our intestinal tracts and play key roles in maintaining
nutritional status:
- affecting immune function
- reducing cancer risk
- improving cholesterol metabolism
- reducing toxic load and the aging process
Some might argue that this gives probiotics more credit than
they deserve, but research seems to be supporting these very claims.
To understand why probiotics have such an impact
on human health, we need to realize that a well-balanced digestive system is a critical component of a healthy body. Food
is broken down in the stomach, digested in the small intestine, and then absorbed into the bloodstream for utilization throughout
the body.
An imbalance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract can disrupt this process, leading to problems
that span from acute but minor to serious and chronic.
Bacterial Challenges
The damage begins
with impaired digestion that leads to a reduction in beneficial bacteria. This culminates in injuries to the mucosal gut barrier,
with the gut lining becoming porous (leaky gut), which eventually allows large molecules to enter the circulation and cause
autoimmune reactions.
Damage can also occur with the use of antibiotics. For example, some women placed on antibiotics
may develop yeast infections. This is because antibiotics not only get rid of the bad bugs, but also eliminate the beneficial
bacteria in the digestive tract. The result is an imbalance of micro-organisms that allows the proliferation of yeast and
other not-so-good bugs.
Achieving Balance
New research is revealing that the population of good
bacteria in our digestive tract is often not large enough for optimal health. The best way to ensure optimal levels of probiotics
and prevent digestive problems is to take them as supplements.
Although the popularity of probiotics has increased over
the last decade, there is still some confusion about what kinds of bacteria we should take and in what dosages. Although there
are at least 400 different species of microflora that colonize our gut, the most important strains of healthy bacteria are
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Dosage
Probiotics replicate themselves
rapidly when they get into the digestive tract, so counts from 1 to 10 billion are ample.
Stability
More important than label dosage is stability of the probiotic and its ability to bypass the stomach acid. A recent
scientific evaluation of probiotic supplements found that most of them contained 50 percent fewer living bacteria than claimed
on their labels.
Efficacy
When researchers simulated the acid stomach environment, they found
that regular capsule and liquid products provided only 10 percent of the living bacteria claimed on the manufacturer’s
label.
When choosing probiotics, look for stability as well as ability to bypass stomach acid in order to get to the
targeted area. Getting viable probiotics to the right places will be the determining factor in their success.
Getting
the Right Dosage
Many foods such as yogourt, kefir, miso, tempeh and some milk, juice, and soy either already
contain friendly bacteria or have probiotics added. However, to receive a consistent and easily measurable dosage, supplements
are best.
For general health promotion and maintenance, adults should choose a supplement containing two to 10 billion
active cultures. Taking a probiotics supplement in addition to eating foods that contain the friendly bacteria is perfectly
acceptable for healthy adults. Daily doses in the hundreds of billions have been given to adults with specific health complaints
without adverse effect.
For young children and infants, consult with your health care provider for appropriate recommendations.
Gaetano
Morello, ND, is a board-certified naturopathic doctor practising at the West Vancouver Wellness Centre in West Vancouver,
BC. drgaetano.com
Source: alive #315, January 2009
