Probiotics Balance Digestion And Improve Overall Health

According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse in Bethesda, Md., digestive disorders are a major problem in America. In fact, some 60 to 70 million Americans suffer from digestive diseases of one kind or another and spent $107 billion on drugs and antacids in 1992 alone (the latest available statistics) trying to fight them. But pharmaceuticals aren't the answer.

Poor digestion can result in more than a stomachache or gas. Digestion is the machine that powers the body--converting food into a usable form of energy that is used in turn to create health and vitality. Interference with this crucial process can lead to chronic fatigue, premature aging, arthritis, poor skin and hair, toxicity, allergies and cancer.

One way to ensure proper digestion and health is to nurture the body's naturally occurring microorganisms. Billions of bacteria--more than 400 different types--live in the gastrointestinal tract. Some are helpful, while others can cause problems. The body depends on the colon's beneficial bacteria to manufacture B vitamins including biotin, niacin, folic acid and pyridoxine.¹ In addition to producing the enzyme lactase necessary for digesting milk sugar (lactose),² these microorganisms produce antibacterial substances that kill disease-causing agents such as salmonella and some types of E. coli. In short, they are essential to proper digestive-tract function.

Two of the more predominant types of beneficial bacteria in a healthy human being are acidophilus bacteria (found in the small and, to a lesser extent, large intestines) and bifidobacterium (found primarily in the large intestine). Maintaining a slightly acidic pH in the colon is the key to supporting these bacteria and is also helpful in fending off harmful organisms, since many cannot survive in an acidic environment. Unfortunately, any number of conditions can change the colon's pH, destroying beneficial bacteria and throwing off the delicate balance among different microorganisms. High-meat, high-fat diets alter colonic pH and kill helpful bacteria, as do alcohol, stress and drugs such as birth control pills. Antibiotics are particularly effective at killing all kinds of bacteria, both good and bad--often leading to candida overgrowth and yeast infections. Low stomach acid levels also affect the body's overall acid balance and encourage disease-causing bacterial growth.

Restoring the Balance
Probiotics, dietary supplements made of beneficial microorganisms, can reintroduce beneficial bacteria. According to probiotics expert Natasha Trenev in her book Probiotics, "Beneficial microorganisms limit the proliferation of disease-causing microorganisms by competitive exclusion in the gastrointestinal tract."

Elie Metchnikoff (1845-1916), a Russian zoologist, was most likely the first researcher to document the benefits of probiotics. Metchnikoff observed that people who regularly ate yogurt tended to live longer. Yogurt is made from whole, low-fat or skim milk that has been cultured with friendly bacteria (such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus). Metchnikoff's work sparked further research that for many years centered on farm animals. We now know that probiotics can also benefit humans, and the research is well-documented.

Because they convert cholesterol into a less absorbable form, probiotics may hamper the intestinal tract's cholesterol absorption--thereby decreasing serum cholesterol levels.⁷ There is also some indication that probiotics can reduce the generation of toxic and cancer-causing compounds produced in the intestinal tract.^8,9 A 1992 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that L. acidophilus may reduce the recurrence of vaginal infections caused by candida.¹⁰ In fact, eating yogurt has long been an "alternative" treatment for yeast infections.

Many enzymes in the body require B complex vitamins (as coenzymes) to function. Bifidobacteria are able to produce some of these vitamins including B1, B6, and B12 as well as folic acid and several amino acids.^11-14 Acidophilus bacteria can also inhibit some of the bacteria responsible for decomposing vitamin B1.

In addition to taking probiotics during or after antibiotic use, people who frequently have candidiasis or yeast infections, digestive problems, chronic conditions including cancer and arthritis, allergies, high cholesterol, or skin problems should consider a regular regimen of probiotics. As mentioned above, there is some indication that probiotics can also prevent infection by many bacteria responsible for food poisoning and potentially fatal infections, such as E. coli and Salmonella.

The Role Of Prebiotics Sometimes, introducing probiotics to the intestine may not be enough. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and whey are considered "prebiotics" because they promote the growth of probiotics, much like fertilizer encourages plant growth. Fructooligosaccharides are naturally occurring sugars found in a number of edible plants such as Jerusalem artichokes, chicory root, garlic, banana, onion, barley, wheat, rye, tomato, and asparagus root, as well as brown sugar and honey. These short-chain fructose polymers are non digestible--the human body doesn't produce the enzymes necessary for their digestion. Because they can't be broken down, they serve as a source of fiber or bulk. Healthy bifidobacteria in the intestines, however, produce the enzyme necessary for breaking down FOS and are able to use it as a food source. The bifidobacteria then produce lactic and acetic acid that acidify the gut and destroy harmful bacteria that can't survive acidic conditions.

Whey, another prebiotic, is the liquid that remains after the curd is removed from milk. The old Miss Muffet nursery rhyme about "curds and whey" really refers to cottage cheese. Whey is primarily water (93.5 percent) but also contains enzymes, minerals (including potassium, calcium and phosphorus), lactose, fat and water-soluble vitamins (6.5 percent).¹⁵ Available in dried form, whey nourishes friendly bacteria in the gut and creates a healthy environment for their proliferation.

People adding probiotics (and prebiotics) to their diets may notice increased intestinal gas, cramps or bloating. This is an indication that "good" bacteria are fermenting and changing the gut to a more acidic environment, thus eliminating "bad" bacteria. In time, the body adjusts and the side effects disappear. On the positive side, gas and bloating are clear signs that the probiotic (or prebiotic) is working.

Both prebiotic and probiotic supplements offer a safe, natural and effective way of maintaining gastrointestinal function. Considering the importance of digestion to overall health, when digestive problems occur, it is an investment worth making.

Anthony Cichoke, D.C., is an internationally known writer, lecturer and researcher. He is the author of more than 300 articles and seven books and has recently published Enzymes and Enzyme Therapy: How to Jump Start Your Way to Lifelong Good Health (Keats Publishing, 1994).

REFERENCES
1.Chaitow, L., & Trenev, N. Probiotics: 14. London: Thorsons, 1990.

2.Ibid.

3.Yamamoto, T., Kishida, Y., et al. "Effect of lactic acid bacteria on intestinally decomposed substance producing bacteria of human source." Basics and Clinics, 20(14): 123, 1986.

4.Perman, J.A., Modler, S., et al. "Role of pH in production of hydrogen from carbohydrates by colonic bacterial flora." Jnl. of Clin. Invest., 67: 643-50, 1981.

5.Kochar, N., Mehta, A., et al. "In vitro effect of lactobacilli on intestinal anaerobic flora and intestinal gas." Microecol Ther, 19: 119-20, 1989.

6.Gotz, V., Romankiewicz, J.A., et al. "Prophylaxis against ampicillin associated diarrhea with a lactobacillus preparation." Amer. Jnl. Hosp. Pharmacol, 36: 752, 1979.

7.Mitsuoka, T. Intestinal Bacteria and Health: 158-59. Tokyo: Harcourt Brace, 1978.

8.Goldin, B.R., & Gorbach, S.L. "The effect of antibiotics on rat intestinal tumors induced by dimethylhydrazine." Jnl Natl Cancer Inst, 67: 877-80, 1989.

9.Goldin, B.R., & Gorbach, S.L. "Effect of milk and lactobacillus feeding on human intestinal bacterial enzyme activity." Amer. Jnl. Clin. Nutr., 39: 756-61, 1984.

10.Hilton, H.D., Isenberg, P., et al. "Ingestion of yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus is prophylaxis for candidal vaginitis." Ann. Int. Medicine, 116: 353-57, 1992.

11.Mitsuoka, T. "Intestinal bacteria flora and its significance." Clinics and Bacteria, 2(3): 55-97, 1975.

12.Honma, N. "On effects of lactic acid bacteria. Part I. Biological significance." New Medicines and Clinics, 35(12): 2687-95, 1986.

13.Honma, N., Ohtani, K., et al. "On effects of lactic acid bacteria. Part II. Clinical effects." New Medicines and Clinics, 36(1): 75, 1987.

14.Deguchi, Y., Morishita, T., et al. "Comparative studies on synthesis of water soluble vitamins among human species of bifidobacteria." Agric. Biol. Chem., 49(1): 13-19, 1985.

15.Ensminger, A.H., Ensminger, M.E., et al. Foods and Nutrition Encyclopedia, 2nd Ed.: 2321. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 1994.

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