Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disorder characterized by abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever and weight loss. An imbalance of the immune system appears to play an important role in the development of this condition. If you consider taking probiotics, you should first talk to your healthcare provider.
About Probiotics
Probiotics are the friendly bacteria that are normally found in the gut that can also be available as a supplement. This supplement may help improve digestive disorders like Crohn's disease, because probiotics help manage diarrhea and also have the ability to boost the immune system. While lactobacillus acidophilus is the most common used probiotic, lactobacillus bulgaricus, lactobacillus GG, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium longum are also species of probiotics with therapeutic benefits.
Research
Diet and nutritional supplements help reduce the remission of Crohn's disease and promote weight gain in children with moderate and severe forms of Crohn's, according to a small case study published in the June 2009 issue of "Journal of the American College of Nutrition." Besides the probiotic lactobacillus GG, other supplements such as fish oil, Boswellia, curcumin and vitamins were used along with a specific diet. Within two months of starting this therapy, all participants in the study went into remission and did not require conventional drugs any longer. The authors believe that this natural therapy may benefit adults as well, and further research is needed to confirm these findings.
How Probiotics Work
A medical team from the Italian National Institute of Health in Rome explains how and why probiotics may help individuals with Crohn's disease. In their November 2007 article featured in "Current Opinion in Gastroenterology," they report their findings that the key role of probiotics is to decrease inflammation of the gut by improving the cell functions of the intestinal wall and stimulating the immune system.
Dosage
To improve diarrhea and maintain a healthy digestive system, a typical daily dose for an adult is between 1 to 15 billion colony-forming units per day. This dose may be adjusted based on the severity of symptoms as well as age of the patient and other medical conditions that may accompany Crohn's disease.
Considerations
Consult a qualified healthcare provider to find out optimal dosage and species of probiotics that may help your condition. A diet that eliminates dairy products and certain grains may also reduce the flare-ups. Keep in mind that probiotics do not replace and should not be used to replace conventional drugs recommended for Crohn's disease.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Lactobacillus Acidophilus; Steven D. Ehrlich; June 2009
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Effect of Exclusion Diet with Nutraceutical Therapy in Juvenile Crohn's Disease; A.E. Slonim et al.; June 2009
- "Current Opinion in Gastroenterology"; The Mechanism of Action of Probiotics; M. Boirivant et al.; November 2007
- Merck Manual; Crohn's Disease; David B. Sachar, Aaron E. Walfish; August 2006
