OPTIMIZE YOUR HEALTH
Living With Celiac Disease

Acidophilus: The Friendly Bacteria for Gastrointestinal Health
by Jannet Huang, MD, FRCPC, FACE, ABHM

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational purposes only. Supplements (herbal and vitamins) should be complementary to a healthy lifestyle as well as appropriate medical evaluation and treatment. Those who are interested in beginning a nutritional supplement should first consult their personal physician.

Lactobacilli are symbiotic and make up some of the 400 normal flora in the human gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. Lactobacilli are used therapeutically as probiotics, the opposite of antibiotics. They are considered "friendly" bacteria and are taken for the purpose of re-colonizing areas of the body where they normally would occur. The human body relies on the normal flora for several functions including metabolizing foods and certain drugs, absorbing nutrients, and preventing colonization by pathogenic bacteria. Lactobacilli seem to provide nutritional benefits including inducing growth factors and increasing the bioavailability of minerals. Lactobacilli also stabilize the mucosal barrier and decrease intestinal permeability.

Probiotics such as lactobacillus are typically used in cases when a disease occurs or might occur due to depleted normal flora. For example, treatment with antibiotics can kill off pathogenic bacteria and also the normal flora of the gastrointestinal tract. Altering the normal flora allows for potential colonization by pathogenic organisms, which can result in side effects such as diarrhea, cramping, and the less common but potentially serious pseudomembranous colitis caused by Clostridium difficile. Taking lactobacillus probiotics during antibiotic treatment can prevent or minimize normal flora depletion and pathogenic bacteria colonization. When probiotic lactobacilli latch on to and colonize the intestinal mucosa, it seems to prevent epithelial attachment by pathogenic bacteria. Lactobacilli also inhibit bacterial pathogens by producing lactic acid, and many lactobacilli also produce hydrogen peroxide. Lactobacilli might also inhibit the translocation of bacteria across the intestinal mucosa by strengthening the epithelial barrier and by promoting accelerated epithelial repair.

There is also some preliminary evidence that lactobacilli and other probiotics might help protect against cancer. In animal models, lactobacillus has been shown to bind dietary carcinogens and decrease development of tumors in the colon after carcinogen challenge.

Most researchers agree that the effectiveness of lactobacilli and other probiotics for all indications depends on their ability to colonize an area of tissue. To do this, lactobacillus preparations must contain live and viable organisms. For oral preparations, bacteria must also remain viable after passing through the gut and then they must be able to latch on to the intestinal epithelium. Some strains might also have differing activity against specific pathogens. Probiotic strains may also differ in specific metabolic activities, and not all lactobacilli species inhibit a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, some researchers theorize that probiotic preparations containing several species might offer more benefit than a single species.

There is some concern that concomitant administration of antibiotics might decrease the effectiveness of lactobacillus. Since lactobacillus preparations usually contain live and active organisms, simultaneously taking antibiotics might kill a significant number of the organisms. Administration of antibiotics and lactobacillus preparations should be separated by at least two hours.

Scientific literature support the health benefits of probiotics used in these conditions:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Colitis (inflammation of intestines)
• Yeast infections
• Flatulence
• Cancer prevention (especially colon cancer)
• Poor utilization of food nutrients

The Probiotic Gap (depletion of normal flora are seen in the following conditions):

• Antibiotic use
• Infections
• Diet that is highly processed and low in fiber
• Chronic diarrhea
• Stress
• Estrogen deficiency (Menopause)

—October 2007

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