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Probiotics: Your Tummy's Best Friend
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If you think the only good bacteria are dead bacteria, think again. Probiotics are a type of bacteria you may want to get to know. Used correctly, they can help maintain the bacteria that occurs naturally within your intestines (called intestinal flora) to keep your digestion running smoothly and support your immune system."We all live in a symbiotic relationship with our flora," says Patricia Raymond, M.D., a gastroenterologist in Chesapeake, Va.
Flora includes more than 500 types of beneficial bacteria that live in our intestinal tracts. They help fight infection, aid the immune system and maintain a healthy balance within the digestive system. When the healthy balance of flora is disrupted, the bowels can become disordered, leading to diarrhea and other intestinal symptoms.
What can throw the flora off balance? Any number of things, Raymond says:
* Sntibiotics
* Stress
* Travel (the infamous "traveler's diarrhea")
* Growth of bad bacteria
Where Do Those "Good" Bacteria Hang Out?
So where do you go to find probiotics? Not far, Raymond says.
You can find one of the most frequently recommended probiotic-plus foods in your local grocery store: yogurt. Make sure the yogurt that you buy contains "active culture," which you can ascertain by reading that label. "A small dose of yogurt likely has good health effects for many women, as the calcium may help with weight control as well as calcium replacement," Raymond says.
Although some foods contain probiotics, they may not offer enough good bacteria, or they may be destroyed in the stomach's acidic environment. That is where supplements come in.
Probiotic supplements can contain anywhere from a billion to several billion bacteria. That sounds like a lot, but the intestines are a large universe for microorganisms, and they are home to billions upon billions of bacteria.
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., generally prefers to use supplements that are specially designed to protect bacteria on their trip to the small intestine. In the intestine, the caplets dissolve, releasing the bacteria at the right time.
In general, if you want to try probiotics in the form of a supplement, watch out for quality, Raymond recommends. Look closely at the company and review the product's Web site thoroughly to see if it deserves your business. She suggests you seek "data, not hype."
Furthermore, be sure to talk with your healthcare professional before taking supplements. They may not be recommended for some people, such as those who are immuno-compromised. And when you do use probiotics, "use them with a specific aim. If your bowels are doing fine, why fiddle with your flora?" Raymond says.
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Joanne Eglash is a writer and an editor specializing in health, weight control and fitness. She's written for a variety of publications and websites.
Labels: Nutrition, probiotics, supplements, weight loss
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