To learn about Probiotics
Probiotics: Medical Interest
New interest. Fresh interest in probiotics was prompted by reports in the popular press linking yogurt consumption with longevity. There were also grave concerns in the medical literature about a striking rise in antibiotic resistant bacteria as well as the destructive effects of antibiotics on the healthy gut flora. More recently, the presence of damaging bacteria residing in the gut (H. pylori) has been shown to be a primary cause of peptic ulcers, a disease that had previously been thought to be caused by too much acid or stress. Some scientists believe that infection with a yet-to-be microorganism may be an underlying factor leading to inflammatory bowel disease. These trends stimulated more research on strains of bacteria isolated from healthy gut flora as well as from the family of strains used to ferment foods and dairy products, resulting in the identification of a number of Lactobacillus, bifidobacteria, E. coli and yeast strains that had beneficial effects on human and animal health.
Growing clinical evidence. The medical literature has reported positive results of the probiotics to:
Prevent or treat antibiotic associated diarrhea, including that caused by Clostridium difficile
Treat diarrhea, such as rotavirus in children
Treat irritable bowel syndrome
Prevent or treat infections in the urinary tract or female genital tract (e.g. vagina)
Reduce recurrence of bladder cancer
Treat or prevent pouchitis, a condition that follows removal of the colon to treat ulcerative colitis
Treat or manage eczema, or atopic dermatitis, especially in children
