April 28, 2005

Eating has practically become an American pastime. However, the primary goal of food consumption is to supply the body with the nutrients it needs to survive. And if your digestive system isn’t up to snuff, no matter how healthful your diet is, you’re going to run into problems.

Improper nutrient breakdown and absorption leads to a host of undesirable effects, from gas and bloating, constipation, to more serious problems. Let’s take a look at your digestive system and see what you can do to keep it in working order.

SOS from the Stomach
One of the most common misconceptions about digestion is that acid reflux, acid indigestion, and heartburn are all caused by too much stomach acid. More often than not, these conditions stem from inadequate amounts of hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid is required for the activation of pepsin, an enzyme essential to the breakdown of protein, and many of us simply don’t produce enough of it.

Another digestive concern, which is increasingly common as we get older, is a decline in the production of mucus and bicarbonate, which defend the stomach against injury. This leaves the stomach vulnerable to injury and infection. Heliobactor pylori (H. pylori), the bacteria responsible for over 70 percent of stomach ulcers, thrives in a defenseless stomach. Infections from H. pylori can also lead to chronic inflammation in the stomach, a condition present in one in three people over the age of 65 that results in decreased absorption of essential vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and biotin.

One of the easiest ways to protect your stomach is to limit or avoid irritants such as alcohol, caffeine, and especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. If soothing an upset stomach is your goal, a nice cup of chamomile or peppermint tea can help.

Where Digestion Really Takes Place
Most people wrongly assume that the majority of digestion takes place in the stomach. While it does play a key role, most of the work is done in the small intestine. The small intestine secretes a number of enzymes (lactase, maltase, and sucrase) which break down sugars into their simplest forms. The pancreas, however, is responsible for the majority of enzyme production. With help from bile from the liver, the pancreas creates protease to digest proteins, amylase to digest starches, and lipase to digest fats.

Declines in enzyme production obviously interfere with optimal digestion and may result in painful bloating and gas. The best way to beat the bloat is to supplement with pancreatic enzymes. Look for a product which includes protease, amylase, and lipase.

Keep Things Moving Along
One of the most prevalent digestive problems, constipation, involves the large intestine. A slowdown in peristalsis (the muscular contractions of the walls of the bowel that move things along) and reduced output of acid and enzymes contribute to this problem. Even more important, however, are lifestyle choices.

To keep things moving along smoothly, eat plenty of fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and grains. You may also want to use a daily fiber supplement such as psyllium (Metamucil) or ground flaxseed. Also important are drinking plenty of water, at least eight glasses daily, and getting adequate exercise, 30-45 minutes of activity most days of the week.

Eat Like a Pro!

Remember the days when it seemed as though you could eat whatever you wanted? Your body had adequate levels of the “friendly�?bacteria necessary for proper digestion, and the breakdown and absorption of nutrients was the furthest thing from your mind. But time marches on. Medications, toxins, alcohol, and other substances slowly deplete the good bacteria in your intestinal tract, making it nearly impossible to digest properly. Fortunately, there’s a solution.

Probiotics restore your body’s bacteria balance so you can digest dairy products and break down carbohydrates the way nature intended. They also help you absorb nutrients better.

Fix it, Don't Mask It

Drugs are only a “band-aid�?approach to heartburn and other digestive issues. Sadly, they do nothing to actually fix and eliminate the problem.

To alleviate these and other symptoms, you need to target overall digestive health ...[with] a simple blend of traditional herbs and plant enzymes ...[to] help break down difficult-to-digest foods.

Digest With the Best

For ongoing relief of digestive discomfort, you need something that is going to supplement your production of natural digestive enzymes. The best way to do this is by taking [a] Digestive Enzyme Complex.[which] contains just the right balance of plant enzymes plus the soothing action of bromelain (from pineapples) and papain (from papaya) [and] also included acid-balancing betaine HCl, which is essential for overall digestive health. Eat the foods you love and get the nutrients you need.

A properly-working digestive system helps you absorb the nutrients in your foods and supplements more easily, and break down dairy products and other hard-to-digest foods. It also promotes healthy, regular bowel movements, supports your immune system, and gives your overall health a powerful boost.

However, the whole process depends on a healthy level of "friendly" bacteria in your digestive tract. Because you naturally produce fewer of these as you get older, a "probiotic" supplement can be a critical aid to healthy digestion.

Why you need healthy live digestive bacteria

A probiotic will only work if it delivers live, healthy bacteria to your gut, and many probiotic products fail to do so. .....

• [ideally find one] including five carefully chosen strains from the Bifido bacteria and Lactobacillus families, the strains your digestive system needs most
• Enhances your system's ability to absorb milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products
• Helps break down carbohydrates, to fuel your energy levels
• Protects your system by helping scavenge and neutralize the everyday toxins found in the gut
• Replenishes healthy bacteria depleted by use of antibiotics
• Increases the absorption of calcium. Magnesium, copper, and iron �?and the synthesis of B and K vitamins
• Promotes a healthy balance of bacterial flora in the digestive tract, which helps ensure regular bowel movements
• Boosts health and immunity throughout your body.
  Take a high-potency multivitamin/mineral formula

The targeted nutrients ... listed above will work better for you if your body is functioning at its best. For that to happen, you need to provide proper nourishment and support to each and every cell. That's why a comprehensive high-potency multivitamin and mineral formula to be the single most important step you can take to improve your health.

I hope these tips will help. Remember, you’re not what you eat. You’re what you absorb.

Here’s to your health,  Julian Whitaker, MD

Acidophilus and Other Probiotics

Supplement Forms / Alternate Names
  �?S. thermophilus; B. bifidus; L. reuteri; L. acidophilus; L. bulgaricus; L. plantarum; Probiotics; Lactobacillus; Bifidobacterium; L. casei; Saccharomyces boulardii; S. salivarius; L. gasseri; Lactobacillus GG ; Lactobacillus LB

Other Proposed Uses
  �?Canker Sores; Colds (Prevention); Colon Cancer (Prevention); Constipation (Chronic); Diverticular Disease; Eczema; High Cholesterol; Immune Support; Inflammatory Bowel Disease ( Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease) ; Milk Allergies; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Ulcers; Vaginal Infection; Yeast Hypersensitivity Syndrome

(for more information on the above items, follow the link at the bottom of this article)

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a "friendly" strain of bacteria used to make yogurt and cheese. Although we are born without it, acidophilus soon establishes itself in our intestines and helps prevent intestinal infections. Acidophilus also flourishes in the vagina, where it protects women against yeast infections.

Acidophilus is one of several microbes known collectively as probiotics (literally, "pro life," indicating that they are bacteria and yeasts that help rather than harm). Others include the bacteria L. bulgaricus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. casei, B. bifidus, S. salivarius, and S. thermophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Your digestive tract is like a rain forest ecosystem, with billions of bacteria and yeasts rather than trees, frogs, and leopards. Some of these internal inhabitants are more helpful to your body than others. Acidophilus and related probiotics not only help the digestive tract function, they also reduce the presence of less healthful organisms by competing with them for the limited space available. For this reason, use of probiotics can help prevent infectious diarrhea.

Antibiotics can disturb the balance of your "inner rain forest" by killing friendly bacteria. When this happens, harmful bacteria and yeasts can move in and flourish. This can lead to vaginal yeast infections. Conversely, it appears that the regular use of probiotics can help prevent vaginal infections and generally improve the health of the gastrointestinal system. Whenever you take antibiotics, you should probably take probiotics as well, and continue them for some time after you are done with the course of treatment.

Sources
Although we believe that they are helpful and perhaps even necessary for human health, we don't have a daily requirement for probiotic bacteria. They are living creatures, not chemicals, so they can sustain themselves in your body unless something comes along to damage them, such as antibiotics.

Cultured dairy products such as yogurt and kefir are good sources of acidophilus and other probiotic bacteria. Supplements are widely available in powder, liquid, capsule, or tablet form. Grocery stores and natural food stores both carry milk that contains live acidophilus.

Therapeutic Dosages
Dosages of acidophilus are expressed not in grams or milligrams, but in billions of organisms. A typical daily dose should supply about 3 to 5 billion live organisms. Other probiotic bacteria are used similarly. The typical dose of S. boulardii yeast is 500 mg twice daily (standardized to provide 3 x 10 10 colony-forming units per gram), to be taken while traveling, or at the start of using antibiotics and continuing for a few days after antibiotics are stopped.

Because probiotics are not drugs, but rather living organisms that you are trying to transplant to your digestive tract, it is necessary to take the treatment regularly. Each time you do, you reinforce the beneficial bacterial colonies in your body, which may gradually push out harmful bacteria and yeasts growing there.

The downside of using a living organism is that probiotics may die on the shelf. In fact, a study reported in 1990 found that most acidophilus capsules on the market contained no living acidophilus. 1 The container label should guarantee living acidophilus (or bulgaricus, and so on) at the time of purchase, not just at the time of manufacture. Another approach is to eat acidophilus-rich foods such as yogurt, where the bacteria are most likely still alive.

To treat or prevent vaginal infections, mix 2 tablespoons of yogurt or the contents of a couple of capsules of acidophilus with warm water and use as a douche.

Finally, in addition to increasing your intake of probiotics, you can take fructo-oligosaccharides , supplements that can promote thriving colonies of helpful bacteria in the digestive tract. (Fructo-oligosaccharides are carbohydrates found in fruit. Fructo means "fruit," and an oligosaccharide is a type of carbohydrate.) Taking this supplement is like putting manure in a garden; it is thought to foster a healthy environment for the bacteria you want to have inside you. The typical daily dose of fructo-oligosaccharides is between 2 and 8 g.

Therapeutic Uses
Evidence from many but not all double-blind, placebo-controlled trials suggests that probiotics may be helpful for many types of diarrhea as well as irritable bowel syndrome. 2 28,53�?7,68,70,71

Additionally, probiotics have shown significant, if not entirely consistent, promise for preventing or treating eczema, 29,30,51,52 treating ulcerative colitis, 37-39,82 and helping to prevent colds,43 possibly by improving immunity. 40�?2,83

Although probiotics are widely used to prevent or treat vaginal yeast infections, evidence regarding potential benefit remains incomplete and inconsistent.31�?6,48,84-85 One large, well-designed trial failed to find a Lactobacillus preparation helpful for preventing yeast infections caused by antibiotics. 86

The bacteria Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum. Antibiotics can kill H. pylori, but more than one must be used at the same time, and even then the bacteria is not necessarily eradicated. Probiotics may be helpful. Evidence suggests that various probiotics can inhibit the growth of H. pylori. 65-67,87 While this effect does not appear to be strong enough for probiotic treatment to eradicate H. pylori on its own, preliminary trials, including one double-blind trial, 55 suggest that various probiotics may help standard antibiotic therapy work better, improving the rate of eradication and reducing side effects. 47,55,58,60,63,65,67,117,88

Preliminary double-blind trials suggest that probiotics might help prevent heart disease by reducing cholesterol levels. 44,45,46

One double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 70 people with chronic constipation found some evidence of benefit with Lactobacillus casei Shirota. 89

Probiotic treatment has also been proposed as a treatment for canker sores and as a preventative measure against colon cancer, but there is no solid evidence that it is effective.

There is some evidence that probiotics can help reduce symptoms of milk allergies when added to milk. 49

Probiotics have shown some promise for helping to prevent cavities by antagonizing cavity-causing bacteria. 90

Probiotics are often proposed for the treatment of a controversial condition known as yeast hypersensitivity syndrome (also known as chronic candidiasis, chronic candida, systemic candidiasis, or just candida). As described by some alternative medicine practitioners, yeast hypersensitivity syndrome is a common problem that consists of a population explosion of the normally benign Candida yeast that live in the vagina and elsewhere in the body, coupled with a type of allergic sensitivity to it. Probiotic supplements are widely recommended for this proposed condition because they establish large, healthy populations of friendly bacteria that compete with the Candida that is trying to take up residence. However, there is no evidence that yeast hypersensitivity is a common problem, and virtually none that it exists at all.

A year-long open trial of 150 women found Lactobacillus probiotics ineffective for preventing urinary tract infections as compared to cranberry juice or no treatment. 50

In one small, 12-week study, Lactobacillus GG failed to prove more effective than placebo for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. 91

What Is the Scientific Evidence for Acidophilus and Other Probiotics?
Traveler's Diarrhea

According to several studies, it appears that regular use of acidophilus and other probiotics can help prevent "traveler's diarrhea" (an illness caused by eating contaminated food, usually in developing countries). 4,12 One double-blind, placebo-controlled study followed 820 people traveling to southern Turkey, and found that use of a probiotic called Lactobacillus GG significantly protected against intestinal infection. 7

Other studies using S. boulardii have found similar benefits, 11,13,14 including a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolling 3,000 Austrian travelers. 14 The greatest benefits were seen in travelers who visited North Africa and Turkey. The researchers noted the benefit depended on consistent use of the product, and a dosage of 1,000 mg daily was more effective than 250 mg daily.

Infectious Diarrhea

Probiotics may also help prevent or treat acute infectious diarrhea in children and adults.

A review of the literature published in 2001 found 13 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials on the use of probiotics for acute infectious diarrhea in infants and children; 10 of these trials involved treatment, and 3 involved prevention. 71Overall, the evidence suggests that probiotics can significantly reduce the duration of diarrhea and perhaps help prevent it. The evidence is strongest for the probiotic Lactobacillus GG, and for infection with a particular virus called rotavirus.

For example, one double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 269 children (age 1 month to 3 years) with acute diarrhea found that those treated with Lactobacillus GG recovered more quickly than those given placebo. 22 The best results were seen among children with rotavirus infection (rotavirus is a virus that can cause severe diarrhea in children). Similar results with Lactobacillus GG were seen in a double-blind study of 71 children. 59

In addition, a double-blind study evaluated the possible benefits of the probiotic L. reuteri in 66 children with rotavirus diarrhea. 5 The study found that treatment shortened the duration of symptoms, and the higher the dose, the better the effect.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 81 hospitalized children found that treatment with Lactobacillus GG reduced the risk of developing diarrhea, particularly rotavirus infection. 61 A double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that Lactobacillus GG helped prevent diarrhea in 204 undernourished children. 62

Other studies, though not entirely consistent, generally indicate that the probiotics B. bifidum, Streptococcus thermophilus, L. casei, Lactobacillus LB, and S. boulardii—both individually and combined with L. reuteri and L. chamnosus—may also help prevent or treat diarrhea in infants and children. 8,9,11,15,23,26,56,57,92-93One study found that bacteria in the B. bifidum family can kill numerous bacteria that cause diarrhea. 69

Keep in mind that diarrhea in young children can be serious. If it persists for more than a day, you should consult a physician.

A large (211 participant) double-blind, placebo controlled study found that adults can benefit from probiotic treatment as well. 26

Antibiotic-Related Diarrhea

The results of many but not all double-blind and open trials suggest that probiotics, including S. boulardii and Lactobacillus GG, may help prevent or reduce antibiotic-related diarrhea. 10,11,16 18,25 28,75,76,94-95

For example, one study evaluated 180 people, who received either placebo or 1,000 mg of saccharomyces daily along with their antibiotic treatment, and found that the treated group developed diarrhea significantly less often. 16 A similar study of 193 people also found benefit. 18 However, a study of 302 people found no benefit with Lactobacillus GG. 25

However, use of probiotics has not thus far shown any ability to help prevent the development of resistant bacterial strains that may arise during antibiotic treatment. 96

Other Forms of Diarrhea

Preliminary evidence suggests that probiotics may be helpful for reducing diarrheas and other gastrointestinal side effects caused by cancer treatment (radiation or chemotherapy). 78,79

Small double-blind studies suggest S. boulardii might be helpful for treating chronic diarrhea in people with HIV, hospitalized patients being tube-fed, and people with Crohn's disease. 11,19 21

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease)

The conditions Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis fall into the family of conditions known as inflammatory bowel disease. Chronic diarrhea is a common feature of these conditions.

A double-blind trial of 116 people with ulcerative colitis compared probiotic treatment against a relatively low dose of the standard drug mesalazine. 37 The results suggest that probiotic treatment might be equally effective as low-dose mesalazine for controlling symptoms and maintaining remission. Evidence of benefit was seen in other trials as well. 38,82

One study found S. boulardii helpful for mild diarrhea in stable Crohn’s disease. 20

Probiotics might be useful for people with ulcerative colitis who have had part or all of the colon removed. Such people frequently develop a complication called pouchitis, inflammation of part of the remaining intestine. A 9-month, double-blind trial of 40 people found that a combination of three probiotic bacteria could significantly reduce the risk of a pouchitis flare-up in people with chroic pouchitis. 39 Participants were given either placebo or a mixture of various probiotics, including four strains of Lactobacilli, three strains of Bifidobacteria, and one strain of Streptococcus salivarius. The results showed that treated people were far less likely to have relapses of pouchitis. Another study found that probiotics used right after surgery can help prevent pouchitis from developing at all. 80

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) experience crampy digestive pain as well as alternating diarrhea and constipation and other symptoms. Although the cause of irritable bowel syndrome is not known, one possibility is a disturbance in healthy intestinal bacteria. Based on this theory, probiotics have been tried as a treatment for IBS.

In a 4-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 60 people with IBS, treatment with L. plantarum reduced intestinal gas significantly. 2 The benefits persisted for an additional year after treatment was stopped.

In another 4-week, double-blind trial, 40 people with IBS again received either L. plantarum or placebo. 70The results showed improved overall symptoms in the treated group as compared to the placebo group.

Benefits were seen in three other small double-blind trials as well, using L. plantarum, 53L. acidophilus,3 or a proprietary probiotic combination including many strains. 54 However, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 24 people with irritable bowel syndrome, use of Lactobacillus GG failed to produce any noticeable benefit. 68

Eczema

Use of probiotics during pregnancy and after childbirth may reduce risk of childhood eczema. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that enrolled 159 women, participants received either placebo or Lactobacillus GG capsules beginning 2 to 4 weeks before expected delivery. 29 After delivery, breast-feeding mothers continued to take placebo or the probiotic for 6 months; formula-fed infants were given placebo or probiotic directly for the same period of time. The results showed that use of Lactobacillus GG reduced children's risk of developing eczema by approximately 50%.

Infants who already have eczema may benefit as well, according to four small double-blind trials. 30,51,52,77

Immunity

A number of studies suggest that various probiotics can enhance immune function; however, most of them were not double-blind. 40 One 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated 25 healthy elderly people, half of whom were given milk containing a particular strain of Bifidobacterium lactis, the others milk alone. 42 The results showed various changes in immune parameters which the researchers took as possibly indicating improved immune function. Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 50 people using B. lactis had similar results. 41

In addition, a 7-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 571 children in daycare centers in Finland found that use of milk fortified with Lactobacillus GG reduced the number and severity of respiratory infections. 43

However, a smaller and shorter study failed to find any effect on respiratory infections. 81

One study found that Lactobacillus GG or L. acidophilus may improve the immune response to vaccinations. 83

Cholesterol

An 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 70 overweight people found that a probiotic treatment containing S. thermophilus and Enterococcus faecium could reduce LDL ("bad") cholesterol by about 8%. 45 Similarly positive results were seen in other trials of the same or other probiotics. 44,46,73,74 However, a 6-month double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found no long-term benefit. 72 Researchers speculate that participants stopped using the product regularly toward the later parts of the study.

Safety Issues
Probiotics may occasionally cause a temporary increase in digestive gas, but beyond that they do not present any known risks for most people. However, individuals who are immunosuppressed could conceivably be at risk for developing a dangerous infection with the probiotic organism itself; at least one person taking immunosuppressive medications has died in this manner. 31

Interactions You Should Know About
If you are taking antibiotics, it may be beneficial to take probiotic supplements at the same time, and to continue them for a couple of weeks after you have finished the course of drug treatment. This will help restore the balance of natural bacteria in your digestive tract.

References

The reference list is very extensive, following the link below will provide it.

Probiotics Help Maintain Digestive Health During Chronic Stress

By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, December 12, 2006, abstracted from “Probiotics prevent bacterial translocation and improve intestinal barrier function in rats following chronic psychological stress�?in the November 2006 issue of Gut

Defined by some experts as “America’s #1 Health Problem�? The American Institute of Stress estimates that 75-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for illnesses caused or made worse by stress, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure , and heart disease .(1) A recent survey(2) found that half of Americans are stressed by finances and 1 in 3 are stressed by their health and employment. Chronic psychological stress may, in fact, be so detrimental to our health that it may increase our risk for cancer .(3)

Research shows that stress decreases the strength of our immune system .(4) This occurs in our digestive tract by weakening our digestive tract linings and facilitating infection by bacteria and other microorganisms. As a result, ways to help fortify our digestive tract lining and our immune system as a whole is an area of active research.

Now a new study(5) has found that strengthening the lining of our digestive tract may be possible by taking probiotic supplements .

Defined as “non-[lethal] live [bacteria] that can have health benefits for the host�?(6) probiotics have been found effective for digestive conditions that include inflammatory bowel disease(7) infectious diarrhea in children,(8) and in animal models of infectious digestive disorders.(9)

In the study, rats were fed either a standard diet with water or a standard diet with probiotics (in the amounts of 10(9) colony-forming units) of lactobacillus bacteria . Rats were fed one of these diets for one week before undergoing stress tests that included water avoidance stress (whereby they were submerged in a container filled 1 cm high with water) or a sham stress (put into a container with no water) for one hour per day for 10 days. The researchers then assessed that rats�?intestines and lymph nodes for bacterial content. They also assessed their digestive tract inflammation and barrier thickness.

The researchers found that rats exposed to stress and fed probiotics had 79% and 84% fewer bacteria attached to the digestive lining of the large intestine and colon, respectively, compared to rats who were stressed and not given probiotics. No bacteria made it through the walls of the digestive tract in the probiotics group. However, bacteria penetrated the digestive wall in 67% of the rats who were stressed but not given probiotics, which increased their risk for infection and a weakened immune system .

For the researchers, “[lactobacillus bacteria] can prevent chronic stress-induced [digestive tract] abnormalities and…exert beneficial effects in the intestinal tract.�?/FONT>