Bugs as Drugs
Probiotics are basically a pill or food that contain bacteria (alive or dead) that can have an impact on health in various ways. It is important to know the state of the current knowledge of probiotics is in the very early stages. We are about in the kindergarten stage now and not yet graduating from kindergarten. A recent consumer lab review highlighted what is know about some of the basic common organisms and probiotics can do based on current research.

Bifidobacterium (found in align and other supplements) – can help with IBS, diarrhea from antibiotics or viruses, weight loss (B breve), colds and respiratory infections (B lactis), lowering cholesterol (B lactis), and even anxiety and depression (B longum), and H pylori infection (usually requires a broad variety of different strains to give it a chance).

Lactobacillus (found in Culturelle and others) – can help with all the above plus infant colic (L reuteri), diverticular disease (L casei), and traveler’s diarrhea.

Saccharomyces boulardi (a type of yeast) – can help with all the above as well.

My current favorite way to get S boulardi is a live soda.

http://livesodakombucha.com/products

Thus far, probiotics from supplements appear to merely be transient visitors or nomads. They do not seem to colonize the intestinal tract. They can still allow for a healing impact on our health despite this limitation. Thus far, it appears that probiotic foods are usually required to promote colonization. And, prebiotic foods (which one could consider to just be bacterial food that promotes their growth) is usually required to maintain the health of our microbiota (the healthy colonies of bacteria within our intestines).

I continue to look forward to future advances in knowledge in the understanding of probiotics as we advance in the classroom regarding these powerful allies in our health.

#probiotics #kombucha #helicobacter pylori #weight loss #cholesterol