You've been taught to avoid germs since you were a little kid, yet retailers ask you to pay good money to buy foods that contain live bacteria. This is because not all microbes are bad for you. Some work with you, developing a mutually beneficial relationship where they get to live in your intestines for free, and you get a host of digestive health benefits. "Good" bacteria, called probiotics, are increasingly available in food products and dietary supplement sold at grocery and health food stores.
Discovery of Good Bacteria
Back in the early 1900s, a scientist named Elie Metchnikov noticed that he was surrounded by old Bulgarian people. Really old Bulgarian people, who were robust and lively despite their advanced years. Then Metchnikov noticed what these frisky old folks were eating: yogurt. Metchnikov theorized that the live bacterial cultures that are used to create yogurt were responsible for the longevity of the Bulgarians. Metchnikov was no slouch in the theorizing department -- he went on to win the Nobel Prize.
Normal Flora
It may sound contradictory, but when your intestines are healthy, they're full of bacteria. Once again, these are "good" bacteria. By occupying your intestines, they take up space and keep out "bad" bacteria. These microbes are referred to as your normal flora. When you have an infection that requires the use of antibiotics, your normal flora can be killed off along with the pathogens that the antibiotics are meant to kill. Good bacteria, in the form of probiotics, can help restore your normal flora.
Effects of Probiotics
Since the days of Metchnikov, a considerable amount of research has confirmed links between probiotics and the prevention and treatment of a number of disorders. Research has been most thorough in the area of probiotics and various forms of diarrhea, according to the Harvard Family Health Guide, but ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and pouchitis -- a type of inflammatory bowel disease -- may also respond to probiotic treatment. The Harvard guide notes that the normal flora of the vagina can also be altered by factors such as antibiotics, birth control pills and the use of spermicides, and that probiotics may help restore the vaginal microflora.
Considerations
Taking probiotics to address a specific disorder isn't as simple as grabbing the closest tub of yogurt. Different types of probiotics have different effects on human illness. For probiotics to be effective, you have to consume the bacterial strain that is right for your condition. Consult your doctor before taking probiotics.
References
- Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide; Health Benefits of Taking Probiotics; September 2005
- USProbiotics.org: Probiotics Basics
- "Communicating Research and Educational Topics and Trends in Applied Microbiology"; Probiotics: 100 Years (1907-2007) After Elie Metchnikoff's Observation; Kingsley Anukam, et al; 2007
