Guest Author - Carolyn Chambers Clark, ARNP, EdD

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are the friendly bacteria that live in your small intestine (Actobacillus acidophilus) and large intestine (Bifidobacterium bifidum). They reside in a healthy, normal digestive system.

What functions do probiotics perform to keep you healthy?

Here are some of the essential functions acidophilus bacteria perform:

* produce lactase, the enzyme needed to digest milk

* help digest other nutrients, including protein

* destroy disease-causing bacteria by producing natural antibiotics

* help reduce LDL (the "bad" cholesterol)

* inhibit Candida (yeast infections)

* exert antifungal properties

Here are some of the essential functions bifidobacterium bacteria perform:

* aid in the production of B vitamins

* prevent nitrates from being converted in cancer-causing nitrosamines

* increase acidity, making the area inhabitable by dangerous bacteria

* help keep your liver healthy and is a treatment for cirrhosis of the liver and chronic hepatitis

* prevent allergic reactions by assisting with digestion

* improves bowel function, yielding smoother, softer stools

* eliminates bowel toxins

When are probiotics needed?

Probiotics are needed if you...

* take birth control pills

* use antibiotics (which kill friendly as well as unfriendly bacteria)

* are an older adult (digestion slows)

* take certain over-the-counter drugs

* drink tap water that hasn't been put through a reverse osmosis filter or been distilled (contains fluorides, chlorine and other pollutants that kill probiotics)

* have chemotherapy or radiation

* are stressed

* drink alcohol

* have gas or bloating

* get constipated

* have yeast infections

Virtually everyone falls into one or more of these categories, so it's a good bet you need to take probiotics.

How to get probiotics

You can find probiotics in cultured yogurt (not the commercially produced variety that contains sugar and often insufficient live organisms) or in supplement form at a health food store.

L. Bifidus may be preferable for use with children or if you have a liver disorder.

Balch and Balch recommend obtaining acidophilus in the powdered form, and caution against combining acidophylis with bifidus as the two may be antagonistic. Instead, obtain one or the other with a count of at least 1 billion organisms per gram.

Always...

* check the date of expiration on the bottle

* choose a product that specifies the strain of bacteria they contain

* choose a dairy free product if you are allergic to milk.

How to use probiotics

*Always follow the directions on the bottle

*Never freeze acidophylis; keep the product in a cool, dry place---a refrigerator is okay

*Take acidophylis on an empty stomach upon arising and an hour before eating

*Avoid taking antibiotics and acidophylis at the same time; wait until your antiobiotic course is over and then take probiotics.

*Place cultured (unsweetened) yogurt in your vagina for yeast infections

This article is for information purposes only. For treatment, consult your health care practitioner.

Source:

James and Phyllis Balch, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Garden City Park, NY, Avery Publishing, 1997.

Janet Zand, Allan Spreen & James LaValle, Smart Medicine for Healthy Living, Garden City Park, NY, Avery Publishing, 1999.