A List Of Probiotics Benefits

By Author: Kirthy Shetty
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Probiotics are live microorganisms, typically single-celled bacteria that are said to be beneficial for the host system. They naturally exist in the human body, while some people augment these naturally existing probiotics with supplements. This is because the list of such food benefits has grown over the years.

Their benefits have been known for decades, but it was only recently that scientific evidence came up. Mostly affecting the digestive tract, there are more than a thousand species of these in the human body. Because different bacteria have different effects on the body, their benefits should not be taken as an indicator that a certain microorganism has all the advantage that other microorganisms provide.

Their benefits, however, work on the same principle: they block harmful bacteria and stop them from multiplying. They also serve as our body's secondary protection against invading bacteria.

It also includes decreasing lactose intolerance, prevention of certain cancers, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, preventing infections, improving the immune system, diarrhea relief, improving absorption, ...
... relief from colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.

Beware that even with all these benefits, there are situations wherein taking them may be bad for a person. These include people with lowered immune systems or are very ill have also developed lactobacillus septicaemia, which can kill. In some cases, probiotics increased the death rate in patients with acute pancreatitis. Researchers at the University of Western Australia also found that children given these were more likely to be allergic to certain stimuli.

Cancer prevention is one of the most significant of all benefits. A strain of lactobacillus bulgaricus have been shown to prevent mutation of colon cancer cells in rats. Human testing and evidence, however, is scant at best and conflicting at its worst.

Their benefits also extend to your heart health by actively lowering both cholesterol and blood pressure. They are thought to be able to break down bile in the gut, making it less prone to reabsorption as cholesterol in the blood. Some strains of Lactobacillus bulgaricus have also shown promise in reducing overall and LDL cholesterol levels. Drinking milk fermented with these bacteria can also result in a slight decrease in blood pressure and could be due to peptides, which acts as an Angiotensin-Converting Enzymes inhibitor that is beneficial in treating hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Such friendly bacteria are also thought to prevent pathogens from growing by competing with them for growth and subsistence, as well as increasing some types of plasma cells that improve immunity. Some say that these could prevent respiratory tract infections, treat acute diarrhea and decreases rotavirus infections in children.

Some are also said to be effective in reducing hypersensitivity and inflammation, while other strains allegedly corrects malabsoprtion of trace minerals found in whole grains and nuts.

While the claims about their benefits are growing in number, it is important to note that there is little scientific evidence to support these claims. For those areas in probiotics benefits that have been studied, there are a lot of conflicting results.

Kirthy Shetty, Platinum author. Get all your tips related to Probiotics from: Probiotics Benefits


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