Digestive Wellness: Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, Fourth Edition (30 page)

Lupus erythematosus

Necrotising enterocolitis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth

Traveler’s diarrhea and/or colitis

Vaginal infections

Native and supplemental probiotics help us in many additional ways. Some have antitumor and anticancer effects, and others help to keep our normal internal fungus population from proliferating out of control. Probiotics help us metabolize foreign substances like mercury and pesticides, protect us from damaging radiation and harmful pollutants, and break down and rebuild “used” hormones like estrogen. Although the mechanism is not yet understood, bacterial balance is also essential for healthy metabolism; many superthin people have been able to gain weight through the use of probiotic supplements.

A probiotic is a specific type of bacteria or yeast that has been identified as a specific genus, species, and strain. Each type of probiotic has specific effects on the human body and is able to compete with disease-causing bacteria and reproduce in our intestinal tract for a week or two. Here are the criteria for probiotics:

Our two most important groups of intestinal flora are the lactobacilli, found mainly in the small intestine, and bifidobacteria, found primarily in the colon. Neither species is native to our digestive tract, but we can consume them in cultured dairy products or in supplements, and they “vacation” in us for up to 12 days in a mutually beneficial relationship. While on vacation they shore up the local economy, like all good tourists.

Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria secrete large amounts of acetic, formic, and lactic acid, which makes the intestinal environment inhospitable to invading microbes and helps prevent, or lessen the severity of, food poisoning. Some food-borne infections lead to chronic illness, causing heart and valve problems, immune system disorders, joint disease, and possibly even cancer. Use of supplemental acidophilus and bifidus can help prevent food poisoning by making the intestinal tract inhospitable to the invading microbes.

Lactobacilli manufacture antibiotics, such as acidophilin, produced by acidophilus, which are effective against many types of bacteria, including streptococcus and staph. Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus have been shown to be effective in laboratory testing against the following pathogens: Bacillus subtilis,
Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Proteus mira-bilis, Salmonella enteridis, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella paradysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus faecalis.

CRITERIA FOR THE USE OF PROBIOTICS IN HUMANS

1.
Identified at the genus, species, and strain level

The gold standard for species identification is DNA–DNA hybridization; 16S rRNA sequence determination is a suitable substitute, particularly if phenotypic tests are used for confirmation.

Strain typing should be performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Strain should be deposited in an international culture collection.

2.
Safe for food and clinical use

Nonpathogenic

Not degrading the intestinal mucosa