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Probiotics - Friendly Bacteria With A Host of Benefits: History
Probiotics - Friendly Bacteria With A Host of Benefits: History
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” the age-old quote by Hippocrates, is certainly the
tenet of today. With the growing interest in self-care and integrative medicine coupled with our health-
embracing baby boomer population, recognition of the link between diet and health has never been
stronger. As a result, the market for functional foods, or foods that promote health beyond providing basic
nutrition, is flourishing. Within the functional foods movement is the small but rapidly expanding arena
of probiotics – live microbial food supplements that beneficially affect an individual by improving
intestinal microbial balance. The consumers’ overwhelming interest in and demand for functional foods,
including probiotics, make it imperative that health professionals stay abreast of the latest research
findings and available products. This monograph provides a summary of research on the health benefits of
probiotics and offers practical information to help the clinician make appropriate recommendations to clients.
History
Microbial cultures have been used for thousands available in a variety of food products and
of years in food and alcoholic fermentations, and supplements. In the United States, food products
in the past century have undergone scientific containing probiotics are almost exclusively dairy
scrutiny for their ability to prevent and cure a products – fluid milk and yogurt – due to the
variety of diseases. This has led to the coining of historical association of lactic acid bacteria with
the term probiotics, or “pro-life.” The first clinical fermented milk. The most frequently used bacteria
trials in the 1930s focused on the effect of in these products include the Lactobacillus and
probiotics on constipation, and research has Bifidobacterium species. Table 1 lists other
steadily increased since then. Today probiotics are commercially available probiotic species.
Nutritional Effects
Table 2 lists some of the alleged health benefits S. thermophilus. Because diarrhea is a major
of consuming probiotics. Those that have cause of infant death worldwide and can be
significant research to back up the claims are incapacitating in adults, the widespread use of
discussed in more depth below. probiotics could be an important, non-invasive
Intestinal tract health means to prevent and treat these diseases,
particularly in developing countries. Probiotic
A number of studies have found probiotic bacteria have also been shown to preserve
consumption to be useful in the treatment of many intestinal integrity and mediate the effects of
types of diarrhea, including antibiotic-associated inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel
diarrhea in adults, travellers’ diarrhea, and syndrome, colitis, and alcoholic liver disease (4-
diarrheal diseases in young children caused by 6). In addition, lactic acid bacteria may improve
rotaviruses (1-3). The most commonly studied intestinal mobility and relieve constipation,
probiotic species in these studies have been particularly in seniors (7).
Lactobacillus GG, L. casei, B. bifidum and
Lactose intolerance
Several lines of evidence show that the stomach. Because lactose intolerance affects
appropriate strains of lactic acid bacteria, such as almost 70% of the population worldwide,
S. thermophilus, L. bulgaricus and other consumption of these products may be a good way
lactobacilli in fermented milk products, can to incorporate dairy products and their
alleviate symptoms of lactose intolerance by accompanying nutrients into the diets of lactose
providing bacterial lactase to the intestine and intolerant individuals.
Allergy
Probiotics may exert a beneficial effect on allergic associated with milk protein (12). Probiotic
reaction by improving mucosal barrier function. consumption may thus be a means for primary
In addition, probiotic consumption by young prevention of allergy in susceptible individuals.
children may beneficially affect immune system This could play a key role in minimizing allergy
development. Probiotics such as Lactobacillus GG at a time when the prevalence of allergic disease
may be helpful in alleviating some of the in Western societies has increased dramatically
symptoms of food allergies such as those over the past 40 years.
Cancer
Studies of the effect of probiotic consumption on increased recurrence-free period in subjects with
cancer appear promising. Animal and in vitro bladder cancer (13). Results, however, are too
studies indicate that probiotic bacteria may reduce preliminary to develop specific recommendations
colon cancer risk by reducing the incidence and on probiotic consumption for preventing cancer in
number of tumors. One clinical study showed an humans.
Future Implications
There is considerable potential for the benefits of probiotics consumption over a wide range of clinical
conditions. On-going research will continue to identify and characterize existing strains of probiotics,
identify strain-specific outcomes, and determine optimal doses needed for certain results. According to
Barry Goldin, Ph.D., professor at Tufts University School of Medicine, “The full potential of probiotics
can only be realized when their benefits can be established scientifically. It is highly likely that benefits
from current and future probiotics have gone undetected and, therefore, full utilization of these organisms
has not been achieved.”
Daniel O’Sullivan, Ph.D, assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the
University of Minnesota, says regarding yogurt consumption, “At best, your intestinal health is greatly
improved and the immune system is strengthened. At worst, there are no adverse effects and you get some
nutrients in the bargain.”
With the current focus on disease prevention and the quest for optimal health at all ages, the probiotic
market potential is enormous. Health professionals are in an ideal position to help guide their clients
toward appropriate prophylactic and therapeutic uses of probiotics that deliver the desired beneficial
health effects.
Q: How long does one need to take probiotics for the effects to last?
It is believed that most probiotics do not permanently adhere in the intestine, but exert
their effects as they metabolize and grow during their passage through the intestine
(colonization). Thus, daily consumption of these bacteria is probably the best way to
maintain their effectiveness.
References
1. Siitonen S, Vapaatalo H, Salminen S, Gordin A, Saxelin M, Wikberg R, Kirkkola AL. Effect of Lactobacillus
GG yoghurt in prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhoea. Ann Med 1990;22:57-59.
2. Oksanen PJ, Salminen S, Saxelin M, Hamalainen P, Ihantola-Vormisto A, Muurasniemi-Isoviita L, Nikkari
S, Oksanen T, Porsti I, Salminen E. Prevention of travelers diarrhea by Lactobacillus GG. Ann Med
1990;22:53-56.
3. Isolauri E, Juntunen M, Rautanen T, Sillanaukee P, Koivula T. A human Lactobacillus strain (Lactobacillus
casei sp. Strain GG) promotes recovery from acute diarrhea in children. Pediatrics 1991;88:90-97.
4. Nanji AA, Khettry U, Sadrzadeh SMH. Lactobacillus feeding reduces endotoxemia and severity of
experimental alcoholic liver (disease). Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1994;205:243-7.
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coli preparation and mesalazine in maintaining remission of ulcerative colitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther
1997;11:853-8.
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7. Seki M, Igarashi T, Fukuda Y, Simamura S, Kaswashima T, Ogasa K. The effect of Bifidobacterium cultured
milk on the "regularity" among an aged group. Nutr Foodstuff 1978;31:379-87.
8. Shahani KM, Chandan RC. Nutritional and healthful aspects of cultured and culture-containing dairy
foods. J Dairy Sci 1979;62:1685-94.
9. Alm L. Effect of fermentation on B-vitamin content of milk in Sweden. J Dairy Sci 1982;65:353-9.
10. Friend BA, Shahani KM. Nutritional and therapeutic aspects of lactobacilli. J Appl Nutr 1984;36:125-53.
11. Sanders ME. Probiotics. Food Technology 1999;53(11):67-77.
12. Majamaa H, Isolauri E. Probiotics: a novel approach in the management of food allergy. J Allergy Clin
Immun 1997;99:179-85.
13. Aso Y, Akazan H. Prophylactic effect of a Lactobacillus casei preparation on the recurrence of superficial
bladder cancer. Urol Int 1992;49:125-9.