Probiotics may offer other health benefits, but one receiving more support recently is the possibility of helping to prevent colon cancer If results of a small but well-controlled study in Ireland are repeated, probiotics – live bacteria that can benefit health – might have a place alongside vegetables, legumes, whole grains and regular exercise in our strategies to lower risk of cancer.
Your digestive tract is home to hundreds of different types of bacteria. Most of them are considered beneficial, crowding out harmful bacteria, speeding digestion and perhaps even enhancing immune function. One of the most accepted health benefits of probiotics comes from taking the probiotics along with or following antibiotic treatment. Antibiotic medicines can sometimes kill the gut’s beneficial bacteria along with the illness-causing bacteria. Without the “good” bacteria in control, sometimes harmful bacteria can multiply, leading to diahharea. Studies suggest that probiotics restore a healthy bacteria population in the gut and prevent diarrhea.
The recent study focusing on probiotics and colon cancer was published in February. Because colon cancer takes years to develop, the scientists looked at various signs of its early development. This study included 80 people who either had colon cancer tumors or non-cancerous colon polyps (precursors to cancerous tumors) recently removed. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a probiotic or placebo (an inactive substance). The probiotic contained two types of bacteria often seen as protective of colon health (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium) combined with a prebiotic. Prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients that feed the growth of healthful bacteria in the colon. The combination of probiotics and prebiotics is called synbiotics.
After 12 weeks, researchers found that the balance of colon bacteria had changed in those receiving the synbiotic, with more Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and less of the bacteria (Clostridium) that is linked with increasing cancer risk. Compared to patients who received placebos after polyp removal, those who received synbiotics showed decreased DNA damage in the lining of the colon and decreased growth and reproduction of colon cells (which increase in colon cancer). Neither of the groups reported adverse effects of synbiotics. These findings are consistent with earlier studies showing that “bad” bacteria can produce substances that initiate or promote development of colon cancer. Probiotics have been shown to decrease abnormal colon cell development and DNA damage in animals.
Research studies often investigate probiotics using controlled doses of supplements, but you can also get probiotics from foods. Most fresh yogurts contain live, active cultures; check labels to be sure. Drinks that provide probiotics include dairy and soy versions of kefir and acidophilus milk. Fermented soy products (including miso and tempeh) and sauerkraut may also supply probiotics, but little data is available to confirm the amounts or types of bacteria.
What about prebiotics to support growth of healthful bacteria? Inulin (which is extracted from chicory root) and oligofructose are found in prebiotic and synbiotic supplements. But so far research does not show that these prebiotics offer any advantage over the dietary fiber found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and dried beans.
Probiotic and synbiotic supplements come in capsules, powders and liquids. If you’re going to use one of these products, check the label to be sure you will get at least one billion live bacterium per day. Because supplements are not regulated by the government, look for products with USP-Verified or CL-approved on the label, which means they have undergone testing by the U.S. Pharmocopeia or Consumer Lab, respectively. Probiotic and synbiotic supplements are considered safe, and no health risks have been reported related to their use. Yet benefits are far from certain, especially since results may differ with different types of bacteria. While we wait for more research, use probiotics and/or synbiotics if you wish but make sure to focus on other, more proven cancer prevention strategies, such as exercise, weight control and eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
Billions of bacteria live in each of us. If we could weigh all the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, it would amount to about three and one-half pounds. Scientific evidence has proven that we can treat and even prevent some illnesses with foods and supplements containing certain types of live bacteria. Digestive disease specialists are recommending probiots for irritable bowel syndrome, gastrointestinal ills, to delay the development of allergies in children, and treat and prevent vaginal and urinary infections in women. Probiotic gut-dwelling bacteria help keep harmful bacteria in check, aid digestion and nutrient absorption, and contribute to immune function.
Benefits of probiotic bacteria
- Restores the friendly bacteria found in a healthy digestive tract.
- Aids in digestion and absorption of nutrients
- Promotes proper elimination of wastes
- Probiotics can increase the bioavailability of protein and fats in the diet by breaking down these nutrients in the digestive tract - this is particularly important for infants, toddlers and patients who need building up during and after illness
- Probiotics can help prevent travellers' diarrhoea
- Probiotics can help reduce intestinal inflammation and hypersensitivity reactions in infants with food allergies and those suffering from atopic eczema
- Probiotics may help to prevent liver damage caused by excessive alcohol intake
Trials have shown that Lactobacillus GG can shorten the course of infectious diarrhea in infants and children Probiotic therapy may also help people with Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Studies suggest that certain probiotics may help maintain remission of ulcerative colitis.
Like the intestinal tract, the vagina is a finely balanced ecosystem. Certain probiotics strains have been found to be of use in maintaining urogenital health. For instance, the dominant Lactobacilli strains make it too acidic for harmful microorganisms to survive, helping to restore a system thrown out of balance by antibiotics, spermicides, and birth control pills. Probiotic treatment that restores the balance of microflora may be helpful for such common female urogenital problems as bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, and urinary tract infection.
Oral and vaginal administration of Lactobacilli may help in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, although there isn’t enough evidence yet to recommend it over conventional approaches. (Vaginosis must be treated because it creates a risk for pregnancy-related complications and pelvic inflammatory disease.) Probiotic treatment of urinary tract infections is under study.
Divided into several hundred species, some are good, some are not. Simply put, illness develops when the "bad" bacteria outnumber the "good" bacteria. To remain healthy, our systems must be in balance, with enough beneficial bacteria to keep the bad guy in check. What can we do to achieve the balance? Probiotics could be the answer.
According to Natasha Trenev, who authored the book Probiotics, "Probiotics are a category of dietary supplements consisting of beneficial microorganisms. They limit the proliferation of disease-causing microorganisms by competitive exclusion in the gastrointestinal tract of man and animals."
Probably the best known probiotic is L. Acidophilus, an inhabitant of the small intestine. Studies have been conducted at the University of Nebraska on L. Acidophilus for over 65 years. According to research, which has been documented in internationally renowned journals, L. Acidophilus:
Produces enzymes such as proteases, which help digest proteins and lipases to digest fat Improves the digestibility of food for humans Helps in the alleviation of lactose intolerance caused by the deficiency of the enzyme lactase Inhibits the growth of 23 toxic-producing microorganisms Supplementation with probiotics such as L. Acidophilus can be beneficial for any person interested in improving nutrition and digestion.
How does this probiotic formulation work?
Most live bacteria that are ingested die when they reach the acid conditions of the stomach. For a beneficial bacterium to be classified as a probiotic it must be resistant to gastric, bile and pancreatic juices to reach the colon alive. The probiotics attach to the wall of the intestine where they increase the number of beneficial bacteria and fight against harmful bacteria thus maintaining a balance between the beneficial and harmful bacteria.
No other product on the market delivers more live organisms into the digestive system than Pro-Biotic Protocol 4-Billion.
HBC Protocols has once again set a new standard in digestive care with this formulation. This powerful shelf-stable blend contains 4 crucial strains of friendly bacteria, delivered via a delivery system designed to bring more live bacteria into the upper GI tract.
Probiotics on store shelves today fail to disclose that up to 95% of their organisms die when they are burned by the harsh acids in our stomach.. From the moment each Pro-Biotic Protocol tablet comes into contact with stomach acids if forms a protective barrier around itself, protecting its delicate probiotic payload. These organisms, "bugs" then enter the upper intestines where they can go to work enhancing energy and immune support. No other product on the market delivers more live organisms into the digestive system than Pro-Biotic Protocol
Probiotic restores immune response in athletes
British Journal of Sports Medicine, April 2006.
Production of the natural virus-fighter, interferon, is decreased in fatigued athletes, but it can be restored to normal levels with a "probiotic" pill containing the beneficial microbe Lactobacillus acidophilus, findings from a new study indicate. The drop in interferon levels may play a role in the defective immune response against Epstein Barr virus (EBV), previously described in fatigued athletes, lead author Dr. R. L. Clancy, from the University of Newcastle in Australia, and colleagues note.Most people have been infected with EBV; it can cause a number of diseases, including mononucleosis, and it has been implicated in chronic fatigue syndrome. However, the virus is usually kept in check by interferon.
As reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine for April, the researchers tested for EBV in 24 saliva samples taken from eight fatigued athletes before and after receiving a 1-month course of the probiotic capsules. In addition, interferon levels were measured in blood samples. Prior to treatment, five of the subjects had EBV in their saliva -- that is, they were shedding the virus because it was not being reigned in; after probiotic treatment, just one showed signs of virus shedding.
As noted, interferon-gamma secretion was decreased initially, but returned to normal levels after treatment. "This study shows for the first time reduced interferon-gamma secretion in fatigued athletes, a defect that was reversed after treatment with L. acidophilus," the researchers state. "The relation of these findings to other groups with chronic fatigue illnesses requires further study to clarify mechanisms and define therapeutic guidelines," they add.