information on probiotics

[Guest guest]

While I don't agree totally with every little detail (I do take probiotics in

capsules sonetimes)...this is basically good info on porbiotics.

Joan

To those of you who are taking probiotics.....remember for the best benefit you

have to feed the little critters. They especially like inulin (very cheap-comes

in powder and pill forms). Some probiotics come with FOS built in and that is

OK, but I have read that FOS also feeds the bad bugs if you have a problem with

those. Inulin is pure vegetable fiber. You can also search high inulin foods

and eat lots of those as well, but I add inulin any way. If pure inulin powder

/tabs give you issues then accommodations may be necessary.

Bifidous is especially beneficial so your probiotic should list those in the

billions. Acidophilous is good, but they do not colonize. Billions of

acidophilous are helpful because they produce a healthy climate for the

beneficial bacteria.

I look for a well recognized brand with billions of live bacteria with a wide

spectrum of strains....I have included some information about some of the more

common strains. I wouldn't waste my money on genetically modified, patented

bacteria strains. Remember yogurt has precious little healthy bacteria and most

likely not the healthy guys you need to boost/sure up your immune system.

http://www.jarrowprobiotics.com/ This company has a step-by-step questionaire

that you can take to help determine what might be good for you. Notice I am not

saying that you should buy your probiotics here even though they are a " good "

company, but help guide you to some self knowledge.

Here is some good basic guidance and info.

Joan

How To Compare Probiotic Supplements

With so many probiotics on the market today, it is becoming more and more

difficult for people to decide on which one to try. Here are some suggestions to

help you make an informed decision.

Look for a probiotic with at least 15 (give or take) living strains of

beneficial microbes. Products containing probiotic " metabolites " rather than

living microorganisms are not the same. Many products (such as yogurt) only

contain one to three strains of live bacteria. Each strain of bacteria

contributes a different role and works in harmony with the other strains. When

only a few strains are present, the resulting health benefits are not complete.

Here are examples of roles of different strains of beneficial bacteria in the

Lactobacillus family:

* Stimulates the immune sytem: L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. planetarum, L.

delbruekii, L. bifidus*

* Possesses anti-tumor activity: L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. planetarum, L.

delbruekii, L. bulgaricus, L. helveticus, L. lactis*

* Protects from acute diarrhea: L. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus, L. bifidus,

L. casei

* Improves lactose tolerance: L. bulgaricus, L. bifidus, L. acidophilus, L.

sporogenes

* Lowers blood cholesterol levels: L. acidophilus, L. sporogenes, L. bifidus

* Aids in nutrient absorption and elimination of toxins: L. planetarum

* Protects from candida yeast: L. planetarum

* Protects from antibiotic-associated diarrhea: L. acidophilus, L.

bulgaricus,

* Protects from Listeria infections: L. casei, L. lactis

* Protects from Leaky Gut Syndrome: L. brevis

* Improves Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS): L. sporogenes

* Protects from harmful bacteria: L. lactis, L. bulgaricus, L. acidophilus,

L. sporogenes

* Protects from vaginal yeast infections: L. fermenti, L. acidophilus, L.

bifidus

* Lowers blood pressure and increases bone density: L. helveticus

* Synthesizes B vitamins: L. lactis, L. bifidus, L. acidophilus

*Note: L. bifidus is also known as Bifidobacterium bifidum

and L. lactis was formerly known as Streptococcus lactis

Take a probiotic that is dairy-free and combined with organic, whole foods.

Instead of consuming a vitamin/mineral supplement made in a laboratory with

synthetic chemicals and hoping your body recognizes as well as utilizes the

chemicals, consider taking a whole food probiotic supplement combined as one.

It is always healthier to obtain nutrients in as close to their natural form as

possible. When a food is present in its unprocessed, whole state, it contains

the proper balance of naturally-occurring vitamins, minerals, fiber, digestive

enzymes and other important nutrients such as chlorophyll and antioxidants. The

body is more apt to recognize, efficiently absorb and utilize the phytonutrients

this way.

The beneficial bacteria in the certified organic, whole-food probiotic quality

probiotics actually pre-digest the whole foods in a fermentation process. This

results is increased availability of nutrients and increased efficiency of

absorption.

Avoid supplements containing magnesium stearate or stearic acid. These additives

coat the intestines, and consequently, reduce nutrient absorption.

Unfortunately, this reduced nutrient absorption affects both the nutrients from

the supplement as well as those from the food that you eat.

Do not buy supplements that have been sterilized or pasteurized. Heat is

destructive to vitamins, enzymes and living organisms. Helpful probiotics remain

in their raw state, retaining the nutrients, enzymes and living microorganisms

that are beneficial to the body.

Look for the inclusion of healthy prebiotics. A prebiotic is a food ingredient

that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or

activity of friendly bacteria in the intestines. Since probiotics are living

organisms, they need a food source to survive.

An example of a prebiotic is fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are found in

foods including wheat and barley. The term synbiotic is used to refer to a

nutritional supplement that combines prebiotics and probiotics.

Some companies resort to inexpensive substrates, such as forms of monosodium

glutamate (MSG) including both maltodextrin and hydrolyzed ingredients. MSG

tastes delicious, but is associated with numerous health complaints.

Look for a whole food probiotic supplement that also contains the two forms of

beneficial yeast Saccharomyces boulardii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S.

boulardii helps prevent Candida yeast infections, helps heal ulcerative colitis,

and Crohn's disease. S. cerevisiae (also known as Brewer's Yeast) is a rich

source of vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids. It is effective in the

treatment of diarrhea, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Do not fall for high CFU claims. Be aware that numerical claims of colony

forming units (CFUs) may be artificially inflated by some companies. This

unscrupulous method is carried out by shaking apart colonies to artificially

inflate numbers. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that all of the bacteria

will be alive and healthy when you ingest them. Therefore, do not judge

probiotics by CFUs alone. More important than the number of CFUs in the product,

is the ability of the bacteria to reproduce. If the bacteria are weak in any

way, they will be destroyed before they are able to benefit you. You should look

for hardy strains of bacteria that have been subjected to and survived exposure

to stressors such as stomach acid, bile, heat, cold, salt, and many

preservatives. They have not been genetically altered and are obtained from

fruits, grains and vegetables. This is in contrast to most other probiotic

strains (which are grown in fecal matter).

Avoid capsules. Most probiotic supplements come in capsule form. Unfortunately,

encapsulation machines use heat and pressure which are destructive to living

organisms. Because of this, many are made available as a powder in order to

preserve the vitality of the beneficial microflora.