Salud digestiva

Promoting Gut Health with Probiotics
Living Medicines for Treating Digestive Disorders
Sala Horowitz, Ph.D.
first brought the health benefits of beneficial bacteria to public attention. Believing that this process could enhance health and longevity, Dr. Metchnikoff named one of the primary bacteria in yogurt cultures, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, for the famously longlived, yogurt-lovingBulgarians.10 Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteria are other strains of bacteria that have long been utilized in traditional diets and medicine to balance the beneficial and pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract for general immune-system enhancement. These lactic acid–producing bacteria are major constituents of the resident intestinal microflora in humans. Streptococcusthermophilus is another “friendly” bacterium used to culture true yogurt, (i.e., a fermented dairy product that has culturing bacteria that have not been destroyed in the pasteurization process). Natasha Trenev, a Southern California-based producer of, and recognized authority on, probiotics cautions that some yogurt is produced with minimally beneficial strains of bacteria.10

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robiotics are foodsor dietary supplements that contain live microorganisms that can restore needed balance to the intestinal microflora. Probiotic products, such as yogurt with live bacterial cultures, have a long history of use in traditional diets and medicine. Probiotics are increasingly being studied scientifically regarding their role in treating inflammatory bowel disease and other digestive disorders. Thispaper explores the research-based evidence for such applications of probiotics.

Terminology
Probiotics are commonly called “good” bacteria and include live cultures found in some brands of yogurt and acidophilus milk. Most probiotics are bacterial strains but the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii is also used as a probiotic. 1 Probiotics have been defined as “living microorganisms which uponingestion in certain numbers, produce health benefits beyond supporting inherent general nutrition.” 2 Other terms that are associated with probiotics are prebiotics and synbiotics. Prebiotics, such as nondigestible sugars in foods, known as fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria. Because sufficient FOS to treat health conditions is difficult to obtain from foods,supplements are generally recommended.3 Other prebiotics include inulin, bran, psyllium, and germinated barley food stuff. 4 The term “synbiotics” was coined to describe the synergistic actions of pre- and probiotics.5 To describe this innovative approach to calibrating the complex ecology of the gut microflora with probiotics, the terms “ecoimmunonutrition,”5 “ecotherapeutics,”6 and “biotherapeutics”7have been used.

Standards and Formulations
For the aforementioned reason, the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) adopted the NNFA Probiotic Labeling Standard in 1989. This standard recommends that probiotic supplem ent supp liers specify on their product labels the type and quantity of the living bacteria present, a viable cell count, expiration date, certification of the absenceof pathogens, storage requirements, and a list of any additional ingredients. (See box entitled Resources.) Ms. Trenev wrote that “unfortunately. . .virtually none of the probiotic suppliers adheres to these standards.”10 (See box entitled Recommended Reading.) Of the probiotic supplements tested more recently by Con sumerLabs.com, approximately one third contained far fewer than the labeled numberof organisms.9 Probiotic supplements are available as capsules, freeze-dried powders, wafers, and liquids. Dairy-free acidophilus products are available for vegans and patients who are allergic to milk products. Ms. Trenev advises against using liquid probiotics, stating that they lose their po tency rapidly and may conta in buffering additives. For optimum benefit for general health purposes,...