| Lactobacillus acidophilus is a
"friendly" type of bacteria used to make yogurt and cheese. We are
born without it, acidophilus soon establishes itself in our intestines and helps
prevent intestinal infections. Acidophilus also flourishes in the vagina, where
it protects women against yeast infections. Acidophilus is one of several
microbes known as probiotics (meaning "pro life") meaning that they
are bacteria and yeasts that help our body. Other friendly bacteria include: L.
bulgaricus, L. reuteri, L. plantarum, L. casei, B. bifidus, S. salivarius, and
S. thermophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Your digestive tract is
like an ecosystem, with billions of bacteria and yeasts rather than plants and
animals. Some of these internal inhabitants are more helpful to your body than
others.
Acidophilus and related probiotics not only help the digestive tract
function, they also reduce the presence of less healthful organisms by competing
with them for the limited space available. Antibiotics can disturb the balance
of your body ecosystem by killing friendly bacteria. When this happens, harmful
bacteria and yeasts can move in and flourish. This is why women taking
antibiotics sometimes develop vaginal infections. Conversely, it appears that
the regular use of probiotics can help prevent vaginal infections and generally
improve the health of the gastrointestinal system. Whenever you take
antibiotics, you should probably take probiotics as well, and continue them for
some time after you are done with the course of treatment. There is reason to
believe that regular use of probiotics can reduce your risk of developing
infectious diarrhea while traveling especially when going thru other countries.
Probiotics may also help prevent diarrhea caused by antibiotics, as well as help
prevent and treat childhood diarrhea.
Immune System
A number of studies suggest that various probiotics like acidophilus can
enhance immune function.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
People suffering with irritable bowel
syndrome have digestive pain as well as constipation, diarrhea and other
problems. Although the exact cause of Irritable bowel syndrome is unknown, one
possibility is a problem with healthy intestinal bacteria. Based upon this idea,
probiotics have been tried as a treatment for lBS. In a 4-week double-blind
placebo-controlled trial of 30 individuals with lBS, treatment with L. plantarum
reduced intestinal gas significantly. The benefits lasted one year after
treatment was stopped.
Vaginal Yeast Infections
A review of the many studies on the use of oral and topical acidophilus to
prevent vaginal yeast infections
concluded that it may be effective, but more study is needed.
SAFETY ISSUES
There are no known safety problems with the use of acidophilus or other
probiotics. Sometimes people notice a temporary increase in digestive gas.
NOTE:
If you are taking antibiotics, it may help to take probiotic/acidophilus
supplements at the same time, and to continue them for a couple of weeks after
you have finished the drug treatment. This will help restore the balance of
natural bacteria in your digestive tract that is killed by the antibiotics.
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