You may not realize it, but your large intestine is home to billions of bacteria. In exchange for a warm place to hang out and feed, these "friendly bugs" destroy harmful bacteria before they can make it to your colon. Probiotics ensure that the balance of good bacteria versus bad bacteria in your intestines tilts in your favor. Since colon health starts in the gut, probiotics may even help to prevent certain diseases.
Description
The most widely accepted definition of probiotics was developed by the World Health Organization, which states that probiotics are "live microorganisms, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host." According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, most probiotics are a species or sub-species of either the Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium family of bacteria, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus. In addition, some probiotics are yeasts, such as Saccharomyces boulardii.
Natural dietary sources of probiotics include fermented foods, such as yogurt, and milk, soymilk and certain fruit juices. Some foods may also be fortified with probiotics. As a supplement, probiotics are available in powder, tablet and soft-gel capsule forms.
Benefits
Supplementing with probiotics helps to offset an imbalance in the ratio of beneficial to harmful bacteria that sometimes occurs from taking medications, most notably antibiotics. In fact, note that the meaning of the word "antibiotic" is in exact opposition to that of "probiotic." While these drugs rid the body of toxic bacteria in the intestines and colon, they also destroy the good bacteria at the same time.
The gut and colon can be overrun with harmful bacteria if certain conditions are present, such as yeast infections, periodontal disease, respiratory infections, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, infectious diarrhea and even skin infections.
Applications
In November 2005, a conference sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and held by American Society for Microbiology examined the body of evidence supporting the use of probiotics in addressing certain health concerns. The panel concluded that there is significant evidence that probiotic therapy may effectively treat irritable bowel syndrome, urinary and genital tract infections in women, and infectious diarrhea. The panel also surmised that probiotics may reduce the risk of bladder cancer and may help to prevent and treat eczema in children.
Colon Health
Probiotics may also help to prevent colon cancer. The results of a 2010 study reported in the journal "Neoplasma" showed that probiotic microorganisms exerted a protective effect in rats chemically induced with colon cancer by inhibiting bacterial enzymes and increasing levels of TNF-alpha, a specialized protein released by white blood cells to initiate a response from the immune system.
Considerations
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, side effects associated with probiotics are mild and generally include bloating or stomach upset. However, in theory, probiotics may facilitate infections in people with an underlying condition that warrants treatment with antibiotics. In addition, probiotics may over stimulate the immune system or interfere with metabolism. Consult with your physician before using probiotics if you have suppressed immunity, a chronic disorder or are taking medications.
References
- "Guidelines for the Evaluation of Probiotics in Food"; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization; November 2005
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: An Introduction to Probiotics
- Neoplasma; The Effect of Probiotic Microorganisms and Bioactive Compounds on Chemically Induced Carcinogenesis in Rats; Bertkova I et al.; 2010
