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Why Probiotics 'friendly bacteria' for Good Digestion?

Did you know that billions and billions of probiotics i.e. health-promoting, good bacteria, also called friendly flora, populate your intestinal tract? Yes, there is such a thing as good bacteria. These friendly bacteria or probiotics, form a protective barrier to keep bad bacteria out, maintaining a healthy intestinal tract.

If you are - under stress, taking antibiotics, traveling or simply want to promote your health, taking probiotics daily will maintain the health-promoting good bacteria in your intestinal tract. This is important because the intestines are the largest immune organ in the body and promoting their health strengthens your body's overall natural defenses.

Probiotics or 'friendly' beneficial bacteria are able to:

change balance of the body's microflora i.e. friendly bacteria, favorably
Probiotics promote good digestion, as well as
boost immune function,
aid in the breakdown of proteins and fats in food,
help to absorb vitamins, minerals & amino acids and
increase resistance to inflammation and infection by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria.

People with flourishing intestinal colonies of probiotics are better equipped to fight the growth of disease-causing bacteria i.e. pathogenic organisms. Probiotics also produce substances called bacteriocin, which act as natural antibiotics to kill undesirable microorganisms e.g. fungus and yeast, viruses, parasites and bacteria.

A healthy gastro-intestinal tract has a ratio of 85% good, friendly bacteria (probiotics) to 15% bad bacteria or pathogenic organisms. Unfortunately most people in the western world have the opposite ratio. If the beneficial friendly bacteria become depleted or the balance disturbed, potentially harmful bacteria overgrow and become established, causing digestive and other health problems. These harmful bacteria, known as pathogenic bacteria, have the ability to cause gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, constipation or abdominal pain if not kept in check by the beneficial friendly bacteria.

Use of antibiotics, steroids and chlorinated drinking water are known to kill off high numbers of the beneficial probiotic bacteria. A high-fat, high-sugar diet can also have a devastating effect on the intestinal tract's friendly, good bacteria population. Probiotic supplements may be taken to build up the number of friendly good bacteria present in the gut and so counter act these effects of disturbing digestive function.

The amount of probiotics or friendly bacteria, in a formula isn't as important as their survival rate. When the products are coated and/or freeze-dried, the maximum number of friendly probiotics are able to survive the passage throughout the digestive tracts.

The Most Effective Friendly Probiotics bacteria:

contain safe & effective identified strains of probiotics
stick to the intestinal lining and colonize
are potent probiotics and continue to remain potent

Effective Friendly Probiotic Choices are:

Garden of Life's Primal Defense HSO Probiotic.

Primal Defense is a natural whole food probiotic blend of HSOs – Homeostatic Soil Organisms. As opposed to most other probiotics, these HSOs are not killed off by strong stomach acids. Neither do HSOs need to be refrigerated. They are different, too, in that they are transient organisms that only stay in the body for 3-5 days, clear out the receptor sites and so improve assimilation of nutrients, rapidly and effectively. It comes in caplet and powder form. Garden of Life's unique Potenzyme processing and Ultrazorbe manufacturing ensures maximun absorption.

Read about Jordan Rubin's recovery from Crohn's Disease
From Healthy Living Vol 5 Number 9

Dr Ohhira's OMX Probiotics 12 plus

Dr Ohhira's OMX 12 plus Probiotic Formula is yet another probiotic that is able to resist the effects of stomach acid. It is a prize winning, fermented friendly bacteria product from Japan that is very effective in normalizing the micro flora (lactic acid bacteria) in the intestinal tract. Probiotic OMX 12 plus probiotics reestablishes the colon's optimum pH level and suppresses the growth of bad bacteria or pathogenic organisms while stimulating the immune system. OMX probiotics 12 plus also strengthens the body's ability to absorb nutrients as well as providing complex B vitamins, antioxidants, minerals & amino acids. Dr Ohhira's OMX probiotics 12 plus have been clinically shown to inhibit staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria now resistant to antibiotics and clostridium difficile (c Difficile).

Lactic Acid Probiotic OMX 12 plus

ConAgra's Culturelle Lactobacillus GG

Lactobacillus GG, the main ingredient in Culturelle, is a probiotic that is currently being tested and has proven to help control overgrowth of some of the harmful pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal system, assist intestinal functioning, enhance the body's natural defenses, adhere and colonize in the intestinal tract, also survive stomach acid, and provide clinically proven health benefits.

VSL#3 Lactic Acid Bacteria Probiotic

VSL3 is a patented combination of live lactic acid bacteria or probiotics that have been cultivated, freeze-dried and mixed in high concentration (hundreds of billions per gram). VSL3 is the probiotic that has been proven in clinical studies to be effective in serious gastro-intestinal disorders, particularly in the management and preventions of pouchitis. Pouchitis, an inflammation of the small bowel reservoir or pouch, is the most frequenet, long-term complication following colon removal and pouch creation surgery for ulcerative colitis.

Read Research Abstract about Probiotics

Read what the experts say about Probiotics:

There is currently great interest in the potential for friendly bacteria probiotics to promote immune development, and also as a supplementary treatment for a broad range of infectious and inflammatory diseases.
-Garner F, Malagelada JR. Gut flora in health and disease. Lancet. 2003;361:512-519.
Probiotics are important in recolonizing the intestine with good bacteria during and after antibiotic use. Probiotic supplements replenish the beneficial bacteria, preventing up to 50% of infections occurring after antibiotic use.
- Loizeau E. Can antibiotic-associated diarrhea be prevented? Ann Gastroenterol Hepatol 1993;29:15-8.
The lactobacillus aids in developing natural defenses against intestinal bacteria and viral infections, while decreasing the duration of diarrhea in children.
- Lee, et al. Acta Pediatrician Taiwan, 42(5):301-305
Probiotics may be particularly effective not only in intestinal inflammation but may affect the systemic immune response that occurs with food-related allergies in children.
- Journal of Pediatric Health Care 17(6):277-283, 2003.
Probiotics or `friendly' bacteria given to babies during weaning may help alleviate the symptoms of eczema.
- Gut, Jul 2002; 51: 51 - 55