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Trust Your Health To The Pros With Probiotics

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While most people are all too familiar with the term “antibiotics” there are still many people who do not understand the critical role that probiotics play in maintaining optimum health. The term stems for the Greek phrase meaning “for life.” They are live microbial substances which improve intestinal balance and boost the immune system. Probiotics are commonly found in cultured dairy products but they are also available in supplement form.

Thousands of years before it was possible to see bacteria with a microscope, people used tiny organisms to produce cultured dairy products such as cheese, sour cream and yogurt. Fermented milks have been safely consumed throughout the world for thousands of years and have been associated with long life. In recent years the importance of cultured dairy products has become more widely understood and there are more probiotic products on the market than ever before.

The widespread use of antibiotics has, in many cases, led to stronger, more antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. Antibiotics kill off the bad bacteria in your intestinal system but in the process they also kill off the friendly bacteria which help maintain health. This causes the intestinal tract to become upset and your system has problems breaking down and digesting foods and absorbing gases.

Once the antibiotic is discontinued, the void is often filled by the bad bacteria so the intestinal lining has less friendly bacteria than before. Because so many strains of bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics, many people and animals develop life-threatening diseases that cannot be successfully treated with antibiotics.

In addition to antibiotic treatment, stress, poor diet and a number of other factors can disturb the balance in our intestinal tract decreasing the number of beneficial bacteria while allowing an increase in the bad bacteria. A probiotic supplement helps to maintain and replenish the balance of microflora in the intestinal tract. Since the colon is the largest organ in the immune system, keeping the right balance of microflora is critical to good health and normal bowel movements. Away from home, probiotic supplements can act as a barrier to the strains of unwanted bacteria and can help prevent the intestinal problems that are associated with traveling.

Health care researchers have found that the effects of cultured dairy product and/or probiotic supplements can helpful for many problems including:

• Constipation and diarrhea
• Inflamed colon
• Gastroenteritis (inflamed stomach and intestines)
• Infections caused by bacteria and fungi
• Flatulence
• Lactose Intolerance
• Cancer, especially colon cancer
• Impaired nutrient absorption

Lactic acid protects the immune system by producing friendly bacteria that prevent toxic substances from being absorbed. The unfriendly microorganisms are then eliminated from the body through solid waste. Some researchers believe this explains the increased longevity of people in cultures where cultured dairy foods are regularly consumed.

Probiotics help the body digest foods by breaking them down into their individual components such as fats, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Another function of the friendly bacteria is to prevent or limit the growth of unwanted bad bacteria such as salmonella, clostridia and E.coli that can prevent proper nutrient absorption, create intestinal disturbances and eventually cause more serious illnesses. Prevention of illness by a well maintained microflora balance is essential for good health.

Probiotics can safely be used by people who are lactose intolerant because they restore intestinal balance and repopulate the intestinal walls with beneficial bacteria that help us break down and digest foods, including those containing lactose. Many people who use probiotics report reduced symptoms of lactose intolerance.