Foods containing probiotics belong to a growing category of products known as functional foods. Functional foods are those that offer health benefits above and beyond those of basic nutrition. Probiotic are found in fermented milk products such as yogurt and kefir, but for people without a taste for these foods, probiotic supplements are also an option. Consult your doctor before taking probiotic supplements.
Strain-Specificity
Probiotics are live microorganisms, specifically bacteria and yeast, that remain live in your gastrointestinal tract once you consume them. Unlike harmful pathogens, however, probiotics confer positive health benefits. Each probiotic microbe is different and each delivers its own set of effects. Not all probiotics strains treat the same condition -– a phenomenon known as “strain-specificity.”
For Diarrhea
The effects of probiotics on several forms of diarrhea have been widely researched. According to USProbiotics.org, an educational website sponsored by the California Dairy Research Foundation, the bacterial strain Lactobacillus has demonstrated effectiveness in treating acute infectious diarrhea in children, and is considered safe for this use.
Diarrhea can also be a side effect of taking antibiotics. Several strains of probiotic, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii have been studied for their effectiveness in treating antibiotics-associated diarrhea. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were both found to aid in faster recovery from antibiotics-associated diarrhea. A subsequent study found that while Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii had no effect in treating already existing diarrhea, they did help to prevent it.
Traveler’s diarrhea is associated with consuming contaminated food or water while in a foreign country. While some studies have found that probiotics help in treating this condition, other studies had contradictory findings. More research is needed.
For Lactose Intolerance
The majority of people who aren’t of European descent lack the enzyme necessary for digesting lactose, or milk sugar. The result is lactose intolerance, a condition characterized by bloating, gas, diarrhea and abdominal pain after consuming dairy products containing lactose. Fermented milk products, such as yogurt, have been observed to improve lactose digestion in the lactose intolerant, according to “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” This is believed to be an effect of the probiotic microbes found in these products. Many probiotic microbes have the ability to break down lactose, but some strains work more effectively than others. According to AJCN, the probiotic strains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which are traditionally used to create yogurt, are the most effective in improving lactose digestion.
For Gastric Ulcers
The pathogenic bacteria Helicobacter pylori causes most gastric ulcers and can also cause gastric cancer. Though probiotics have not been observed to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection completely, some strains have shown the ability to inhibit its growth and can also relieve some of the side effects of traditional antibiotic therapies used in treating gastric ulcers. In a 2007 study published in the “Journal of Nutrition,” the Lactobacillus strains L. acidophilus LB, L. casei and L. johnsonii inhibited the activity of Helicobacter pylori. The probiotics Weissella confusa, L. lactis and Bacillus subtilis helped to decrease the spread of Helicobacter infection by secreting bacteria-killing compounds.
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