Discover benefits of probiotic yourself,  click here .

What you should know about probiotics?
You might be surprised to learn that how you feel and even look every day is tied to your intestines. To maintain good health, your intestines must properly absorb nutrients and help eliminate waste and toxins.

Your intestines, which lie between the stomach and rectum, are part of the Gl tract or digestive system. In the small and large intestines, food is broken down and absorbed into the bloodstream, providing your celts and organs with the energy they need to function. Your intestines do this with the help of good bacteria (also called microflora).

These "good bacteria" aid digestion, promote vital nutrient production, maintain pH (acid-base) balance, and prevent proliferation of unwelcome bacteria. From the time of birth your body is inhabited by these good bacteria. Changes in diet, stress and aging and other factors can disrupt this delicate balance.

Lack of good bacteria can lead to:
Digestion issues
Poor bowel function and flatulence
A weakened immune system
Poor nutrient absorption
Low level of energy and well-being

Lack of good bacteria is so common that many health professionals recommend the use of probiotic supplements. Probiotics are good bacteria strains that limit the proliferation of unwelcome bacteria in the intestinal tract by crowding them out.

In the first decade of the twentieth century a Russian scientist, Elie Metchnikoff, suggested that the long lives of Bulgarian peasants might be a result of their consumption or fermented microorganisms which positively influenced the microflora of the colon. This discovery, together with his work in immunology, earned him the 1908 Nobel Prize for Medicine. 1 his event raised considerable interest in the study of benefits of microorganisms to humans. In 1974 the term "Probiotic" (pro – for; bio = life) was coined to describe the use of beneficial bacteria to positively influence health.

Today the scientific field agrees that probiotics offer a broad range of health benefits when taken in sufficient numbers.

Restoring the balance
————————
Conditioned as we are to think of bacteria as trouble-makers, it’s hard to accept that we may actually have too few of these organisms in our digestive system. Yet that is actually quite common. And when it happens, our bodies let us know with occasional sluggishness, irregularity, bloating, or a weaker immune system.

There is a synergistic relationship between good bacteria and our body: we provide them with a safe place to live and grow, and they help us digest, absorb our food, eliminate and maintain a healthy intestinal function. It works very well… as long as there are enough of them.

Strain specificity
——————
However, not all probiotic bacteria are identical. They differ on the basis of genus, species and strain and results. Also it has been shown that organisms must both live and colonize within the gut to induce beneficial effects. Unfortunately a lot of probiotics don’t even reach the intestine and hence offer no benefits.

Viability
———-
Probiotics are fragile live bacteria. Probiotic cultures vary and the benefit of a probiotic is not measured simply by the number of living bacteria in a pill. The beneficial effects of the presence of probiotics in the gastro-intestinal tract depend on their viability the ability of the bacteria to survive and colonize.
In the U.S. many probiotic products arc supported by poor research, are poorly formulated, and suffer from poor quality control. Most products list bacterial genera and species but make no mention of the viability of the bacteria. Acidophilus, for instance, has only -A 53% viability, which means that only half of the bacteria you take will be able to survive.

By: Andy Lane

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The Difference Between Pre- and Probiotics

You know these “good” types of bacteria help with digestion. Now, discover delicious ways to incorporate them into your diet.  

Probiotics may ease anxiety

Supplements of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota may ease symptoms of anxiety in people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), according to new research funded by Yakult.   

How probiotics can prevent disease

Using probiotics successfully against a number of animal diseases has helped scientists from University College Cork, Ireland to understand some of the ways in which they work, which could lead…  

What are the best supplements/probiotics to take, to get rid of …

I am too lazy to change my diet, so I’d like to know if there are any specific an fef tifungals/probiotic supplements that work pretty well to destroy an.

Probiotics & Immunity: Researchers Uncover the Link

You’ve heard probiotics can give your immune system a boost, but have you ever wondered how these friendly bacteria help you resist infection?  

Technorati Tags: Health Benefits of Probiotics, probiotic acidophilus, probiotic benefits cancer, what foods contain probiotic