The normal human aversion to bacteria or germs overlooks an important reality: Most bacteria are good and play an essential role in the healthy functioning of the human body. Lactobacillus acidophilus sits high on the list of "good germs" and has been widely studied in recent years as a probiotic, or a micro-organism that promotes the health of the living organism that is its host.
Prevention of Diarrhea
Acute diarrhea is a serious health condition in much of the developing world. A joint U.S.-Indian study found that Lactobacillus acidophilus, along with other probiotics, helped to prevent acute diarrhea. The study, published in the June 2006 issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases, was conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore and Annamalai University's Center for Micronutrient Research in New Delhi, India. The study showed that probiotics, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, cut the risk of antibiotic-related diarrhea by 52 percent, travelers' diarrhea by 8 percent and diarrhea from diverse causes by 34 percent. Researchers reported that outcome showed little variation whether test subjects received one of the test probiotics alone or in combination with others.
Bacterial Vaginosis
MedlinePlus reports that multiple medical studies have confirmed the efficacy of Lactobacillus acidophilus in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. Most of those studies examined the effects of the probiotic delivered by vaginal suppository, finding this mode of treatment particularly effective. However, a growing body of evidence seems to suggest that the consumption of yogurt that's been enriched with the probiotic also helps to remedy this bacterial infection. MedlinePlus says that additional clinical research will be needed to confirm conclusively the effectiveness of this form of treatment.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Published in the October 2008 issue of Digestive Diseases and Sciences, a placebo-controlled study by South Korean researchers showed that two strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus---SDC 2012 and SDC 2013---helped to significantly reduce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Researchers divided the study group of 40 IBS patients into equal parts: 20 received the probiotic strains, while the other half was given the placebo. At the end of the four-week test period, 23.8 percent of the patients getting the probiotic reported improvements in their symptoms of abdominal pain or discomfort, compared with only 0.2 percent of those receiving the placebo.
Anti-Diabetes Effects
Although very preliminary, animal tests of the anti-diabetic effects of probiotic-enriched yogurt offer some hope that this may open a new area of treatment utilizing the probiotics Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacilus casei. Researchers at the Animal Biochemistry Division of India's National Dairy Research Institute induced type 2 diabetes in laboratory rats by the addition of 21 percent fructose to their drinking water. They then fed test animals low-fat yogurt that had been enriched with the two probiotics to see how, if at all, this supplement affected progression of the disease. The study, published in the January 2007 issue of Nutrition, concluded that the probiotic supplement "significantly delayed the onset of glucose intolerance, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia and oxidative stress."
References
- MedlinePlus: Lactobacillus Acidophilus
- The Lancet Infectious Diseases: Efficacy of Probiotics in Prevention of Acute Diarrhoea: A Meta-analysis of Masked, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trials
- SpringerLink: Therapeutic Effect of Lactobacillus Acidophilus -SDC 2012, 2013 in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Nutrition: Antidiabetic Effect of Probiotic Dahi Containing Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Casei in High Fructose Fed Rats
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