Probiotics are bacteria similar to good microorganisms found in your stomach. Most commonly found in yogurt, probiotics can be beneficial for a number of medical conditions; however, there are many different types of probiotics. What form of probiotic is best for you depends on your condition and what you want to treat. Consult your physician before taking any probiotic supplements.
Probiotics with Antibiotics
Certain probiotics, such as saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii, lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and bacillus coagulans GBI-30, can help protect your body while you are taking antibiotics. Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii is actually a strain of baker’s yeast and is usually sold as a supplement on its own. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and bacillus coagulans GBI-30 are commonly used to treat or prevent diarrhea; they are sold as supplements.
Probiotics for Women’s Health
Probiotics can help to treat infections common to women, such as yeast and urinary tract infections. Specific probiotic forms can help to repel the bacteria that enter your vagina, by boosting the natural bacteria designed to protect against infection. L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 can be found in some yogurt and supplements. A 2009 study published in “Microbiology and Immunology” found that L. reuteri RC-14 alone or in combination with L. rhamnosus GR-1 inhibited yeast growth in women.
Immunity-Improving Probiotics
Many forms of probiotics may improve your immunity. A few specific strains, such as L. casei DN-114001, L. rhamnosus GG and L. acidophilus NCFM, have been correlated with reduced frequency and severity of common illnesses. A study published in the “British Journal of Nutrition” in 2009 found that consumption of the probiotic L. casei reduced the average duration of respiratory infections in elderly participants. The subjects who consumed L. casei from fermented dairy products had a shorter duration of infection by more than a day. Fermented dairy products include cultured buttermilk and sour cream.
Probiotics for Bowel Health
Certain forms of probiotics help to ease some of the symptoms associated with irritable bowel disease, or IBD. Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 and L. plantarum DSM9843 have been found to be effective in treating IBD. B. infantis reduced abdominal discomfort, bloating and bowel movement discomfort in people with IBD, according to a 2005 study published in “Gastroenterology.” Seventy-seven subjects with IBD either received B. infantis or a placebo in the study. All of the participants that received B. infantis had a greater reduction in symptoms. Both of these probiotics are in yogurt or available in a supplement.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Probiotics; April 2011
- CNN Health; Best Cure for Stomach Troubles -- Which Probiotics Work and Why; Jessica Snyder Sachs; March 2009
- Medline Plus: Saccharomyces Boulardii
- Drugs.com; Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GG; December 2010
- “Microbiology and Immunology”; Effect of Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus Reuteri RC-14 on the Ability of Candida Albicans to Infect Cells and Induce Inflammation; R.C. Martinez, et al.; September 2009
- "British Journal of Nutrition”; Consumption of a Fermented Dairy Product Containing the Probiotic Lactobacillus Casei DN-114 001 Reduces the Duration of Respiratory Infections in the Elderly in a Randomised Controlled Trial; E. Guillemard, et al.; September 2009
- “Gastroenterology"; Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in Irritable Bowel Syndrome; L. O'Mahony, et al.; March 2005
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