Powerful Probiotic

September 16, 2008 – 8:22 pm

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Lactobacillus acidophilus, commonly called acidophilus, is one of several stains of friendly probiotic bacteria normally found in the intestines and vagina. These beneficial bacteria help protect the body from hostile organisms that can cause yeast infections, intestinal toxemia, and other health problems.

The name lactobacillus acidophilus comes from lacto meaning milk, bacillus meaning rod-like in shape, and acidophilus meaning acid loving. This particular bacterium functions better in acidic environments than most other microorganisms. The term probiotic breaks down as follows: “pro” means for and “biotic” means life. So a probiotic bacteria is for life or pro-life.

Intestinal flora, like acidophilus, play an important role in keeping the immune system healthy, the digestion system in balance, and in producing vitamins. Unfortunately, this army of friendly bacteria is under constant attack by a diverse group of enemies. Antibiotics, medications, chlorinated water, yeasts, chronic diarrhea, stress, infections, and poor diet can destroy these friendly bacteria. If the population of the probiotic bacteria is not replaced regularly with additional organisms, harmful bacteria can take over and cause serious health problems.

As acidophilus breaks down foods, it produces lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and other beneficial byproducts. This creates an environment where unfriendly organisms find it difficult to survive. Also, acidophilus consumes many of the same nutrients these unfriendly organisms depend on, thus limiting their food source and ability to proliferate. Acidophilus produces another important enzyme, lactase. Lactase breaks down milk sugar (lactose) into simple sugar. This is particularly beneficial for individuals that are lactose intolerant and can’t produce this enzyme.

Acidophilus also resides in the vagina. It helps control the growth of yeast infections. Common symptoms of yeast infections are burning, itching, inflammation, and discharge. Some spermicides and contraceptive creams kill acidophilus and other beneficial bacteria. This allows yeast infections to grow.

Health Benefits
Acidophilus typically residents in the small intestines of adults and older children and appears to provide these important benefits: 1) helps curtail yeast overgrowth, 2) improves digestion of dairy products, 3) prompts colon regularity, 4) neutralizes toxin growth, 5) helps maintain cholesterol levels, 6) helps with digestion of complex proteins and carbohydrates, and 7) supports immune system functions.

Including an acidophilus supplement in your daily diet appears to help keep your digestive system in balance and offset some of the negative effects caused by ingested toxins and viruses. If you currently are not taking a probiotic supplement on a regular basis, we strongly suggest you reconsider.

Scientific Studies
In a study conducted at the University of Nebraska, researchers examined the effect Lactobacillus acidophilus had on the dreaded Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. For this study, 432 feedlot cattle were divided into two groups. The first group received just the regular feed and the second group ingested feed with L. acidophilus bacteria added to it. Feed with L. acidophilus added resulted in a 61 per cent reduction in E. coli found in cattle’s manure. Researchers concluded that this significant reduction confirmed the probiotics effectiveness. In smaller study conducted at Texas Tech University researchers observed a 80 per cent reduction in E. coli for calves receiving L. acidophilus.

A study published in American Journal of Veterinary Research examined the effect of adding L. acidophilus to the diet of healthy cats. For this study, fifteen adult cats were fed nutritionally balanced dry food for five weeks. Blood and fecal samples were collected for hematologic and bacterial enumeration analysis. For the next 4.5 weeks, the cats were fed the same dry food diet supplemented with L. acidophilus. Multiple blood and fecal samples were taken during this phase. For the next four weeks, the cats received the normal dry food diet without L. acidophilus. At the end of the study, researchers observed the following: 1) an increase in the amount of beneficial bacteria and a decrease in the dangerous Clostridium and Enterococcus faecalis bacterial indicating a positive change in the intestinal flora, 2) proof that the L. acidophilus survive the feline gastrointestinal tract, 3) enhanced immune system function when L. acidophilus was included in the diet.

In a 2006 study published in International Journal of Food Microbiology the immune enhancing properties of L. acidophilus and L. paracasei were examined. For this study, mice received orally either L. acidophilus or L. paracasei bacteria for fourteen days. At the end of the study, changes in immunoglobulin A, interleukin-10, and interferon gamma producing cells in the intestinal immune system were compared with those taken at the start of the study. Researchers observed a beneficial increase in the number of immune producing cells due to the addition of these probiotic bacteria to the mice’s diet.
In research conducted at the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal Science, researchers observed that L. acidophilus helped control serum cholesterol. The L. acidophilus feeds on the cholesterol in the intestinal tract. Thus, less cholesterol is available for absorption into the blood stream.

In a study reported in the February 1998 issue of Health & Nutrition Breakthroughs researchers tested the effect of using L. acidophilus and B. bifidum to destroy unfriendly micro-organisms. Twenty-eight adult subjects were divided into three groups. The first group received L. acidophilus. The second group received B. bifidum and the third group received a placebo. After three weeks, researchers took blood samples to determine the phagocytic activity (ability to destroy foreign bacteria) of each person’s white blood cells. They measured the cells’ ability to attack and ingest E. coli bacteria (known for its high potential to cause disease). In subjects receiving either L. acidophilus or B. bifidum, the percentage of white blood cells able to destroy E. coli jumped from forty percent to eighty percent. In the placebo group, there was no change in phagocytic activity. Blood samples were examined again six weeks after stopping probiotic supplementation and the phagocytic activity was still much greater than at the beginning of the study.

In the 1920’s, Dr R. Schroder conducted research to determine the importance of pH in the vagina and the role beneficial bacteria played in reducing vaginitis. In one study, Dr Schroder found that women suffering from a high incidence of vaginitis generally had high-alkaline pH and low levels of L. acidophilus present in the vagina. And, that women without vaginitis had acidic pH readings and L. acidophilus present. Another study reported in a 1960 issue of American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology concluded that use of L. acidophilus capsules as vaginal inserts destroyed pathogenic germs such as staphylococcus, streptococcus, and diplococcus. It also caused the pH of the vagina to shift from alkaline to acidic. Vaginitis symptoms promptly disappeared and didn’t return as long as L. acidophilus supplementation continued.

References:
Gilliland Stan. “Bacteria Reduce Serum Cholesterol.” Oklahoma State University.
Marshall-Jones Z.V., Baillon M.L., Croft J.M., Butterwick R.F., “Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus DSM13241 as a probiotic in healthy adult cats.” American Journal of Veterinary Research (67-6, pg. 1005-12): American Veterinary Medical Association: Illinois; June 2006.
Miller Vicki. “Good bacteria look promising for reducing E. coli.” Research Nebraska: University of Nebraska – Lincoln Agricultural Research Division: Nebraska; September 2002.
Paturi G., Phillips M., Jones M., Kailasapathy K. “Immune enhancing effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus LAFTI L10 and Lactobacillus paracasei LAFTI L26 in mice.” International Journal of Food Microbiology: Elsevier: New York; November 2006.

Resources:
Murray Frank. “Acidophilus and Your Health.” Keats Publishing, Inc.: Connecticut; 1999.
Webster David. “Acidophilus and Colon Health: The Natural Way to Prevent Disease.” Kensington Publishing Corp.: New York; 2000.
Younts-Dahl S.M., Osborn G.D., Gaylyean M.L., Rivera J.D., Loneragan G.H., Brashears M.M. “Reduction of Escherichia coli O157 in finishing beef cattle by various doses of Lactobacillus acidophilus in direct-fed microbials.” Journal of Food Protection (68-1, pg. 6-10): International Association for Food Protection: Iowa; January 2005.