Probiotics - For Gastrointestinal Disorders
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 December 2010 18:25
The use of probiotics and prebiotics as therapeutic agents for gastrointestinal disorders is rapidly moving into the mainstream. 1
Diarrhoea
Some of the best evidence of probiotics efficacy has been in the treatment of diarrhoea. The mechanisms by which probiotics prevent or ameliorate diarrhea are stimulation of the immune system, competition for binding sites on intestinal epithelial cells and elaboration of bacteriocins. How well they work depends on the type of diarrhoea and seems to be different for traveller’s diarhheoa.2
Many people use probiotics to prevent diarrhoea caused by antibiotics. Antibiotics kill "good" (beneficial) bacteria along with the bacteria that cause illness. A decrease in beneficial bacteria may lead to diarrhoea. Taking probiotic supplements (as capsules, powder, or liquid extract) may help replace the lost beneficial bacteria and thus help prevent diarrhoea. The results of some early studies suggest that probiotics found in yogurt may help prevent diarrhoea caused by antibiotics.3
Stomach Ulcers
The bacteria Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum. Antibiotics can kill H. pylori, but more than one must be used at the same time, and, even then, the bacteria is not necessarily eradicated. Probiotics may be helpful. Evidence suggests that various probiotics can inhibit the growth of H. pylori.While this effect does not appear to be strong enough for probiotic treatment to eradicate H. pylori on its own, preliminary evidence, including several small double-blind trials, suggest that various probiotics may help standard antibiotic therapy work better, reducing side effects and possibly increasing rate of eradication4
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Evidence from many but not all double-blind, placebo-controlled trials suggests that probiotics may be helpful for irritable bowel syndrome 5
References:
1. Richard N. Fedorak; Karen L. Madsen. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2004;20(2)
2. Jonathan E. Teitelbaum, MD , Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch NJ, and Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2005;24(3):267-268
3. Marteau PR, et al. (2001). Protection from gastrointestinal diseases with the use of probiotics. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73(2, Suppl 1): 430S–436S
4. Michetti P, Dorta G, Wiesel PH, et al. Effect of whey-based culture supernatant of Lactobacillus acidophilus ( johnsonii) La1 on Helicobacter pylori infection in humans Digestion. 1999;60:203-209.
5. Nobaek S, Johansson M-L, Molin G, et al. Alteration of intestinal microflora is associated with reduction in abdominal bloating and pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000;95:1231-1238.
