Probiotic News

Many people believe that the so-called ‘friendly bacteria’ in yoghurts do wonders for the digestion. New research even claims that these ingredients can help boost our immune systems and control weight.

But probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and prebiotics (essential fuel for the beneficial bacteria) aren’t only good for our tummies, they’re also the latest buzzword in beauty — tackling everything from acne to ageing, skin sensitivity to dehydration.

Clinique, Lancome, Chantecaille, Nude and Revive are just a few of the brands injecting bugs into anti-ageing serums and moisturisers in the belief they help soothe and plump the skin — and can even turn back the clock.  More...

Progurt was selected as one of the Top Ten Products of 2011 by the Editor of Body + Soul Magazine.  More...

Compiled by Peter Brodhead CN From the Book – Is your child’s brain starving? By Dr. Michael R. Lyon, MD

The GI tract has an enormous influence over both the immune system and the brain. Over _ the cells in the immune system are located in and around the GI tract. Leaky Gut Syndrome – The lining of the small intestine is nearly leak proof and only fully digested food molecules are permitted to pass thought this lining into the bloodstream and lymph vessels. The stomach and intestines are full of hostile elements: Hcl, digestive enzymes, undigested food material and trillions of microorganisms. To inject even a small amount of the contents of the digestive tract into the bloodstream would be very unhealthy. This leak proof lining is only one cell layer thick and can be easily damaged. The cells of this lining live only 3 days. They have an extremely high metabolic activity and intense nutritional demands.

When enough of these cells are damaged there are more and more gaps in the intestinal lining allowing large quantities of molecular debris – undigested and partially digested protein, carbohydrates and fat as well as fragments from microorganisms to pollute the blood and lymph of the intestinal tract. Some gets transported to the liver which has to process it, other ends up circulating through the body – all of this puts a great strain on the immune system, the liver and virtually every other organ and system of the body. Leaky gut syndrome has also been found in cases of autism and research that Dr Lyons has done shows that most children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder suffer from a leaky gut.  More...

Did you know that our gastrointestinal (GI) health has an impact on our mental well-being? Considered the body's second nervous system, the GI system produces 95% of the serotonin in our body and hosts 60% of our immune system. It is also the home of a complex ecosystem of gut flora – over 400 species of good bacteria that aid in digestion and nutrient absorption, and filter out toxins and harmful substances. The GI tract also contains some bad bacteria, but these are normally kept in check by high numbers of good bacteria. But when a person experiences stress, or eats something he or she is intolerant of, the bad bacteria outnumber the good, placing the GI tract in a state of dysbiosis. This prevents the good bacteria from performing its filtration function; instead of keeping toxins out and letting nutrients in, it does the exact opposite. This condition is also called leaky gut syndrome and is very common in children with ADHD.

There is an entire protocol involved in treating gut problems related to ADHD. The first step involves removing all allergenic food substances and medicines that may be overburdening the GI tract. This might mean going an ADHD diet like the gluten-free casein-free diet or the Feingold diet. The next step involves repopulating the gut with good bacteria through fiber and probiotics. Probiotics are essentially live bacteria similar to the good bacteria found in the GI tract. They are available as supplements or in food like yogurt, miso soup, soy milk, and fermented milk.

Treating gut problems with probiotics is known to benefit ADHD sufferers for several reasons. In the first place, they bring back balance to the population of good bacteria in the gut and eliminate the problem of poor nutrient absorption. Using probiotics also protects the body from toxins, which are known to trigger hyperactive and inattentive symptoms. Finally, probiotics assist in repairing damaged intestinal mucus, reduce inflammation, and re-establish immune tolerance.  More...

Probiotics are bacterial microorganisms that are well-known for their ability to alleviate certain internal issues, such as diarrhea, IBS and lactose intolerance. However, dermatologists and other skin experts have found that their benefits go beyond digestive health.

Since acne is partially caused by an overgrowth of bacteria, ingested probiotics help to treat blemish-prone skin by rebalancing bacteria in the stomach to create an overload of good bacteria. Topically, they provide protection against harmful bacteria, restore balance, and build up skin's protective barrier and normal bacterial flora to help eliminate breakouts.

Eczema is believed to be caused by a skin imbalance that causes barrier dysfunction. Some dermatologists have found that probiotics improve eczema by aiding good bacteria and allowing them to continue releasing oxygen so skin breathes better, blood flows, and balance is restored.  More...

The present report summarises key insights from a recent symposium focusing on the impact of the intestinal microbiota on health and disease. A more appropriate definition of health was proposed since health maintenance is a dynamic process better assessed in terms of ability to adapt to stress and maintain physiological homeostasis. Biomarkers specifically for health are needed; use of challenge models and subjects with suboptimal health or specific disease risk were advised. The complexity of interactions between external factors, the intestinal epithelium, intestinal microbiota, the immune system and health was exemplified by describing the effects of antibiotics, the Western diet and non-digestible carbohydrates on the microbiota. The association of certain bacteria with different states of health or disease was acknowledged but also that is not always clear whether this is a cause or effect. Recent identification of three robust faecal metagenome clusters may advance this understanding. It was speculated that knowledge of the intestinal microbiota profile may eventually help in the diagnosis of health risks and choice of therapy. It was agreed that beneficial manipulation of the commensal microbiota can improve health outcome. For this purpose, three areas were reviewed. Firstly, research into probiotics as vaccine adjuvants was considered useful for substantiation of immune function claims. Secondly, positive results with certain probiotics and synbiotics for colorectal cancer are emerging, mostly from in vitro and animal studies. Finally, studies in endurance athletes have shown strain-specific probiotic benefit in terms of maintenance of immune function and, for certain strains, reduction of episodes of respiratory and/or gastrointestinal tract infections.

You can read the original article here. More...

The past decade has seen great advances in our understanding of the role of gut bacteria, probiotics and prebiotics in promoting human health and disease.

A review published by a team of North American and European researchers discusses the current scientific evidence accumulated in this area from 2000-2010. The human gastrointestinal tract contains over 1,000 different types of bacteria. Some of these are beneficial bacteria; they can promote health by stimulating the immune system, improving the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and inhibiting the growth of pathogens. Others are more harmful, pathogenic, bacteria which are responsible for intestinal infections, diarrhoea and constipation, and the production of carcinogens and toxins.

Probiotics and prebiotics are able to improve host health by increasing numbers of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that provide a health benefit to the host when consumed in appropriate amounts. They are found in a variety of foods and dietary supplements, and include the strains lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates such as inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides which can selectively promote the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
In their review, the authors discuss the many ways in which probiotics have been shown to benefit human health. For instance, they can modulate the immune system by increasing the production of pathogen-fighting antibodies and other immune cells. They are also able to enhance the function of intestinal cells by stimulating them to produce more mucus and protecting them from dying off. Other studies have shown how probiotics can act as antimicrobial agents by suppressing the growth and invasion of harmful pathogens.

From a therapeutic point-of-view, probiotics and prebiotics have been reported to help in the treatment of numerous gastrointestinal disorders. They may also be useful in the prevention of obesity and type-2 diabetes. Though further research is needed in this area, it is clear that gut bacteria play an important role in human health. Moreover, the scientific research from the past decade has demonstrated the great potential for probiotics and prebiotics to promote our well-being.

NB: The review is based on webinar presentations developed by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) in partnership with the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) and the North American branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI North America).

You can read the original article here. More...

Gratz SW, Mykkanen H, El-Nezami HS.

School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, S5-13 Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China. elnezami@hku.hk

Probiotic bacteria have well-established beneficial effects in the management of diarrhoeal diseases. Newer evidence suggests that probiotics have the potential to reduce the risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases and intestinal bacterial overgrowth after gut surgery. In liver health, the main benefits of probiotics might occur through preventing the production and/or uptake of lipopolysaccharides in the gut, and therefore reducing levels of low-grade inflammation. Specific immune stimulation by probiotics through processes involving dendritic cells might also be beneficial to the host immunological status and help prevent pathogen translocation. Hepatic fat metabolism also seems to be influenced by the presence of commensal bacteria, and potentially by probiotics; although the mechanisms by which probiotic might act on the liver are still unclear. However, this might be of major importance in the future because low-grade inflammation, hepatic fat infiltration, and hepatitis might become more prevalent as a result of high fat intake and the increased prevalence of obesity.

You can read the original article here. More...

Raw Food Just Got Better with 100% Natural Probiotic-Infused Juice.

Progurt has been selected by New York’s, The Juice Press, to create the world’s first multi-strained probiotic juice, made fresh to order.

With the added benefit of Progurt’s 1 trillion CFU capability, Juice Press’ 100% organic cold pressed juice formulas can now offer customers a simple, delicious way to help support immune system functioning and digestive health.  More...

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.  More...