Probiotics - panacea or hype?
- Thread starter macabrem
- Start date
They are great for restoring the little beasties that live in your gut after you finish a treatment of antibiotics.
I'm not convinced there's any immune benefit to the use of probiotics, at least so far as the studies I'm familiar with and the strains used therein. That said, I've used (off and on) the standard brands of probiotic yogurts available in the dairy aisle to see if they might help with *ahem* digestive issues, and they seem to have performed as advertised.
From what I understand they aid digestion but you need to keep eating whatever contains them to continue benefiting from the effect.
As for the immune system thing, the only way I could see it having a benefit there is that bacteria tend to compete and if there were enough of the good guys they'd crowd out the bad guys. Bear in mind I'm obviously not a doctor and this is only based on my experience making sourdough; the starter never gets moldy because the yeast and bacteria create an environment that's inhospitable to other things.
As for the immune system thing, the only way I could see it having a benefit there is that bacteria tend to compete and if there were enough of the good guys they'd crowd out the bad guys. Bear in mind I'm obviously not a doctor and this is only based on my experience making sourdough; the starter never gets moldy because the yeast and bacteria create an environment that's inhospitable to other things.
They are also good for fighting minor cases of food poisoning,
A
AnnaM
I take a probiotic supplement that is multi-strain, and I've had great results with regulating my digestive system. Plus, I've never been sick since, which is a real immune plus. My good friend raises horses and she gives probiotics to her horses and dogs too when they get sick. My probiotic contains both lactobacillus (for the small intestine) and bifidobacterium strains (for the large intestines). I've found that a multi-strain probiotic supplement gets me the strain diversity and the high live cell count I want - not really available in all supplements or in yogurt.
It's funny - these are the same bacteria they take out when they pasteurize. Well, OK, they make up SOME of the bacteria that is pasteurized out. 
Anyone here interested in Raw Milk?
Anyone here interested in Raw Milk?
I think it's a wheat/chaff issue when it comes to probiotics and health aspects, for every true aspect of how they work positively that has basis in scientific study there's a dozen claims of some miraculous thing that they do that someone made up to sell more yogurt or supplements.
They helped my girlfriend survive a round of antibiotics where the cure was almost worse than the strep throat.
I kind of think they jumped the pharmaceutical shark when the different yogurt companies started trademarking their own strains.
I am curious to see how the research turns out for their treatment/suppression of colitis though...
They helped my girlfriend survive a round of antibiotics where the cure was almost worse than the strep throat.
I kind of think they jumped the pharmaceutical shark when the different yogurt companies started trademarking their own strains.
I am curious to see how the research turns out for their treatment/suppression of colitis though...
It's funny - these are the same bacteria they take out when they pasteurize. Well, OK, they make up SOME of the bacteria that is pasteurized out.
Anyone here interested in Raw Milk?
It is most likely those 'others' that they are aiming for.
I haven't tried raw milk, but it sounds tasty.I eat yogurt, but not the stuff necessarily labeled 'probiotic'. I've tried it, but not really noticed a difference, I've always been pretty regular.
For some interesting reading check this out. Basically, depending on different factors, you will have different bacteria living inside you. Depending on how much of each kind you have, they will cause more or less calories to be extracted from your food. This could be pretty significant medically in the not too distant future.
i think a healthy diet is more important but probiotics could be useful after taking antibiotics. I don't believe we need to eat pills - yogurt is better with or without probiotics. there are also ideas that dairy is not as good for your health - according to macrobiotic theory but I think when somebody finds a good balanced diet is the best, depending on the person's individual needs.
my two cents...
- alvaro
my two cents...
- alvaro
