Google the benefits of eating Probiotic foods and you might be convinced that they are a good thing. Or are they?
Each individual has it's own tailored supply of microbes inside the gut and yours may be different to mine. According to one program I've seen on TV you may actually be upsetting the balance even more instead of helping it by consuming more goody live bacillus for one's system.
I haven't managed to track down the TV program claiming Probiotics are a nuiscance but here's something which indicates they are of no benefit either:
To explore whether the promises are backed up by hard science, Gordon and his associates set out to conduct a high-tech investigation involving mice and human twins.
In the first instance, germ-free mice were carefully raised so that the environment of their guts mimicked that of humans. In effect, the mouse guts played host solely to 15 human gut microbes, all of which had been genetically sequenced.
Next, seven sets of healthy, young-adult female twins were recruited.
Over four months, the "humanized" mice and the twins consumed a commercially available probiotic-cultured yogurt. The researchers analyzed bacterial gut composition and behavior patterns before, during and after probiotic consumption.
The result: The bacterial species in the yogurt did not take up fresh residence in either the human or animal consumers. Thus, the bacterial environment found in the guts of both mouse and man was roughly the same before and after yogurt consumption.
I haven't managed to track down the TV program claiming Probiotics are a nuiscance but here's something which indicates they are of no benefit either:
To explore whether the promises are backed up by hard science, Gordon and his associates set out to conduct a high-tech investigation involving mice and human twins.
In the first instance, germ-free mice were carefully raised so that the environment of their guts mimicked that of humans. In effect, the mouse guts played host solely to 15 human gut microbes, all of which had been genetically sequenced.
Next, seven sets of healthy, young-adult female twins were recruited.
Over four months, the "humanized" mice and the twins consumed a commercially available probiotic-cultured yogurt. The researchers analyzed bacterial gut composition and behavior patterns before, during and after probiotic consumption.
The result: The bacterial species in the yogurt did not take up fresh residence in either the human or animal consumers. Thus, the bacterial environment found in the guts of both mouse and man was roughly the same before and after yogurt consumption.
Can't help but ask if there's an agenda here (probiotics are a nuisance?) because there is a bit of cherry picking going on.
However, a subsequent urine analysis among the "humanized" mice unearthed "significant changes" in the activity of enzymes involved in metabolism, the team said.
The most prominent changes, the team further noted, had to do with the breakdown of carbohydrates.
But they concluded that more research is needed before anything definitive can be said about the effect of probiotic consumption on human health.
[..]
"The fact that they found that a probiotic preparation doesn't do incredibly profound things to your existing gut composition, but instead impacts its function, is a theme that is coming up over and over again," he said. "And that is, that it matters less what microbes are actually there, and more what they are actually doing."
Based on this work, it can be said that that consuming a probiotic will likely have some impact on the function of your gut microbial community, he noted. But, "it's still way too preliminary to say whether this means that probiotics are good or bad," he said.
And some preliminary evidence does indicate that consuming probiotics may aid in the treatment of diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, bladder cancer, urinary and intestinal tract infections, and even eczema.
A quick search on google scholar confirms the above statement...
Can't help but ask if there's an agenda here (probiotics are a nuisance?) because there is a bit of cherry picking going on.
However, a subsequent urine analysis among the "humanized" mice unearthed "significant changes" in the activity of enzymes involved in metabolism, the team said.
The most prominent changes, the team further noted, had to do with the breakdown of carbohydrates.
But they concluded that more research is needed before anything definitive can be said about the effect of probiotic consumption on human health.
[..]
"The fact that they found that a probiotic preparation doesn't do incredibly profound things to your existing gut composition, but instead impacts its function, is a theme that is coming up over and over again," he said. "And that is, that it matters less what microbes are actually there, and more what they are actually doing."
Based on this work, it can be said that that consuming a probiotic will likely have some impact on the function of your gut microbial community, he noted. But, "it's still way too preliminary to say whether this means that probiotics are good or bad," he said.
And some preliminary evidence does indicate that consuming probiotics may aid in the treatment of diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, bladder cancer, urinary and intestinal tract infections, and even eczema.
A quick search on google scholar confirms the above statement...
What of the advice to use a probiotic after a course of antibiotics? Does it actually help 're-populate' your gut bacteria, or does that just happen normally anyway?
What of the advice to use a probiotic after a course of antibiotics? Does it actually help 're-populate' your gut bacteria, or does that just happen normally anyway?
Me thinks it will happen normally but helping it along wouldn't hurt . . . no single antibiotic is capable of suppressing or killing all of your gut flora . . . but it could change the relative proportions temporarily of the the populations represented . . .
Me thinks it will happen normally but helping it along wouldn't hurt . . . no single antibiotic is capable of suppressing or killing all of your gut flora . . . but it could change the relative proportions temporarily of the the populations represented . . .
Ah, and it's not escaped my notice that there is a multi-billion Health Food (Holland & Barrett style) movement cashing in on stuff one doesn't really need. And live yoghurts don't need to undergo the same rigorous screening tests to get on the market as pharmaceutical drugs.
What of the advice to use a probiotic after a course of antibiotics? Does it actually help 're-populate' your gut bacteria, or does that just happen normally anyway?
Like solrey noted, it appears there are some potential benefits for people with specific conditions, but with many such topics it's not an all-or-nothing debate about whether probiotics are universally "good" or "bad". Problems occur when dubious claims are made about such supplements -- some of which are just vague marketing gimmicks, others are more extreme (see: Probiotics for Mental Health?). Marketing issues are highlighted in Nature Biotechnology (Whence probiotics?), which emphasizes the need for proper testing and regulation:
Food and dietary supplements companies have long claimed that probiotics in yogurt and other cultured dairy products improve digestion, boost immunity and confer other health benefits. Julian Mellentin, editor of the London-based food industry trade magazine New Nutrition Business, says consumers are increasingly buying into that concept. Aging populations and female consumers in particular are fueling much of the probiotic industry's growth, which is approaching $7 billion in Europe and $1.7 billion in the US, according to his analysis.
But regulatory authorities, particularly in Europe, have been thus far unimpressed with data put forth to support probiotic health claims. This year, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a scientific advising body to the EU, rejected nearly every health claim put forward by the probiotics industry. In an e-mail, EFSA spokesperson Jan Op Gen Oorth wrote that the claims were rejected either because the microbes had not been sufficiently characterized, because the claimed effect was not considered beneficial (the EFSA panel opined that increasing numbers of bifidobacteria in the gut are not in themselves beneficial) or because human studies in support of the claims had not been made available. The EU stated that after December 14, 2012, food and nutritional supplements companies will no longer be allowed to communicate health benefits for their products on account of probiotic content.
Shelly Burgess, spokesperson with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), declined to comment on whether similar measures might be taken in the US. FDA regulates probiotics under the “generally recognized as safe” provision of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. As long as a company sticks to nonspecific structure and/or function claims (that is, “improves digestive health”), it can sell the probiotics without regulatory worries. Trouble brews when companies start making more specific, drug-like claims that would otherwise require supporting evidence from human clinical trials.
Our bodies are only 10% human. The microbiota is called the "forgotten organ". The study is ongoing, and many fine advances are taking place.
An extensive range of strategies to combat chronic disease is soon to be revealed. Not only having the right intestinal flora but feeding it properly (prebiotics) seems to be the key. There will be plenty of scams and mistakes will be made, but the field is fascinating and will greatly extend our health when understood.
Bottom line, as with any biome terrestrial aquatic or organic, the key seems to be diversity.
With diversity and proper care a self-regulating system will promote health .
I've never heard of that before. Most GPs avoid giving out "unusual" prescriptions unless a consultant from the hospital says it's essential. To see a consultant you first have to get past your local doctor and be referred with a genuine complaint which the local practice can't deal with.
This Daily Express article highlights a few things of interest:
Are they harmful?
Rarely but fears were raised recently after 24 patients died in a medical trial by Dutch scientists.
Should healthy people take probiotics?
Ms Collins says that once a gut problem has cleared up, there is no need to keep taking probiotics.
Quickly followed by this:
But Professor Simon Cutting, of the School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, says: “Trials show that probiotics also benefit the human immune system.”
I've never heard of that before. Most GPs avoid giving out "unusual" prescriptions unless a consultant from the hospital says it's essential. To see a consultant you first have to get past your local doctor and be referred with a genuine complaint which the local practice can't deal with.
This Daily Express article highlights a few things of interest:
Are they harmful?
Rarely but fears were raised recently after 24 patients died in a medical trial by Dutch scientists.
Should healthy people take probiotics?
Ms Collins says that once a gut problem has cleared up, there is no need to keep taking probiotics.
Quickly followed by this:
But Professor Simon Cutting, of the School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, says: “Trials show that probiotics also benefit the human immune system.”
This is only a presumption but for some people probiotics will act as a prophylactic against digestive problems, especially those with a poor diet as gut flora needs a good feed or even heavy drinkers. However the target demographic for commercial drinks are people people who think healthy and will have a healthy diet. The only issue I can think of if you have more in your system than you want are the by products of the bacteria (often gases). I will need to look further into that. However if one thinks of a bacterial growth curve there would be an optimum number based on nutrients available http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacterial_growth
Personally I don't use them as a rule, but I may when I go through a depressive phase as my diet is often poor as well as vitamins. Off topic but as a counsellor I would always stress the importance of a balanced diet on mental health. Not saying I is a cure all but is a factor in wellbeing. Even further off topic, I have always done the cooking when at home. I have 5 kids but during my ex wifes first pregnancy she became extremely ill with vomiting and stomach cramps. She was hospitalised but they stopped after a night stay. She was home 2 days and she was off again. A night in hospital and she was ok. The cause turned out to be me. She had been prescribed iron, folic acid and vitamin supplements as standard by the GP due to her pregnancy. However that caused an overdose due to the food I was providing. Seeing as she was well in hospital it says a great deal about the nutritional value of their food as they continued the supplements.
At the end of the day I guess probiotics may work in the same way.
