GSE
How to supplement probiotics
How to obtain probiotics
Food sources
Fermented Vegetables
Yogurt is milk with
bacteria added. lactic acid
To be officially labeled "yogurt", it must
contain Lactobacillus bulgaricus (moderately acid resistant)
and Streptococcus thermophilus
(not acid resistant). Neither
of these survives the initial digestion phases particularly well or
reaches the GI tract in great numbers. Look for brands labeled "probiotic" that contain more than these two basic yogurt strains, especially strains that
will survive stomach and bile acid pH
Most yogurt is made
from pasteurized cow's milk in N. America -
Choose ORGANIC yogurt. Needs to be free of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics or synthetic
growth hormones.
You need at least 10 billion live colony forming
units (CFUs) to make a health difference - numbers of CFU's in yogurt can be inconsistent or even unknown.
ORGANIC Stonyfield's
yogurt line. Includes four extra live cultures:
L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. rhamnosus and B. bifidus. and
contains 100 million cultures per gram. (i.e. nearly
17
billion CFU/ 6 oz container),
including at least 1 billion L. rhamnosus
study-supported amount of HN001 strain to improve immune system function .
Certified to strict organic standards. Contains no
artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners;ORGANIC Stonyfield Activia.
Contains Bifidus Regularis® (Bifidobacterium lactis DN-173 010, claimed to survive GI
journey. Number of CFUs not disclosed.
Dannon Activia (which is owned by
Stonyfield) is NOT organic. ORGANIC Oikis Greek yogurt.
Greek yogurt gets its extra creaminess, twice the protein, less lactose and
fewer carbs of regular yogurt from a straining method
that removes the whey (liquid) from the
yogurt. Contains three additional live cultures (as well as S. thermophilus,
L. bulgaricus): L. Acidophilus,
B. bifidus, and L. casei. One serving of Stonyfield yogurt**
contains at least one billion CFUs
of Lactobacillus rhamnosus.
Glutathione - "King
of the Antioxidants "
Note, however, that whey is the food containing
the highest level of precursors to the body's important antioxidant
glutathione, and removing the whey takes away this benefit.
Mountain High Yogurt (NOT organic). Includes three extra strains: L,
Acidophilus, B. Bifidus, L. Casei and an 8oz serving provides ~20
billion CFU.
Consuming overly-sweetened yogurt defeats the
health purpose of eating yogurt.
Sugar feeds the bad bacteria;
Some producers pasteurize the yogurt after the
cultures are added to prolong its shelf life.
This
will kill off the live active cultures and eliminate health benefits. Heat
> 110°F kills the bacteria.
Yogurt is low in lactose -
allows many lactose-intolerant people to get its probiotic and nutritional
benefits without digestion problems.
BEST to make your own yogurt using a yogurt maker - This
enables you to
determine bacterial strains and ensure viability. Let
yogurt culture for 24 hours, at low heat, in order to allow the bacteria to
fully grow. Most store-bought yogurts are rapidly cultured for a couple hours at
high heat. If you can obtain raw milk from cows eating organic grass so much the
better!
Get creative with plain, unsweetened yogurt by
adding something delicious. Chopped fruit, berries, nuts, honey, vanilla, cinnamon. Exercise your
imagination!
Kefir is milk inoculated with kefir "grains".
A bacterial mixture, including Lactobacillus kefiri and species of the
genera Leuconostoc , Lactococcus and others, along with
lactose-fermenting and non-lactose-fermenting varieties of yeast. The grains are
then strained out.
Kefir can be made from cow's,
goat's or sheep's milk. Also from plant "milks" such as soy, rice or coconut. Described
as drinkable yogurt, although rather a thick beverage.
Available in supermarkets.
Kefir usually contains more bacterial strains than yogurt and come in different
flavors.
• Lifeway Kefir.
Claims 1 cup contains 10 billion
probiotics, but an 8oz serving also
contains 8-20g (2-5 teaspoons) of sugar.
Probiotic supplements
Choosing a probiotic
General guidelines:
The effects of
probiotics are strain and dose specific -
Clinical studies draw conclusions based on the strain of probiotic
bacteria used. E.g. Just because a product contains L. rhamnosus , does
not necessarily mean that it provides the health benefits of L. rhamnosus
ATCC531-3."Live and active cultures" does not necessarily
mean "Imparts health benefits". Required numbers of bacteria must be
able to survive GI journey through stomach and bile acids and be a strain or
strains with appropriate benefit for your needs.Probiotic content should be consistent - Whilst it is desirable to obtain bacteria
from a healthy diet, food sources such as yogurt are inconsistent in quality;
some commercial yogurts are pasteurised after culturing which kills
the bacteria. Supplement should be independently tested
Supplement is even better if it contains a
prebiotic. E.g. FOS or inulin to feed the "good guys".
Bacterial strain:
• Should be of human origin.
Has
ability to adapt naturally to the human
body;
• Must be able to survive transit through stomach
and bile acids to reach the small intestine. However, do not buy enteric coated tablets, instead choose acid-tolerant
bacterial strains, which cost half as much.
• Should produce natural enzymes, vitamins,
lactic acid, and hydrogen peroxide
• Must be able to adhere to the intestinal
wall mucosal cells
• Capable of colonizing human GIT
Number of viable cells
One needs a daily
amount of at least 1-10 billion (109 -1010 )
viable organisms to make any health difference. More under certain conditions, such as prevention of traveler's diarrhea.
Supplements should state the number of
viable bacteria on the label
Viability of organisms
Must be antagonistic to pathogens Must remain in GI tract long enough to be
effective. Following chart shows percentage of
supplemented organisms remaining in faeces after so many days of taking
probiotics. Must remain viable during storage
Encapsulated supplements
are the preferred way of controlling the survival and shelf life of probiotic. They protect
bacteria from oxygen, light and moisture, which tends to kill the probiotics.
Temperature is critical for survival.
Supplements should be stored in a freezer to maintain maximum
potency; although this is not necessary if the organisms have been freeze-dried.
Selection of the right
strains of bacteria is critical
to both survival and performance of probiotics;
A good probiotic
should remain stable for 2 years at room temperature
Examples of good brands of probiotics:
Dr. Mercola's Complete Probiotics® - An excellent
supplement source - contains 10 probiotic strains andsatisfies all the desirable assets of an ideal probiotic. The
manufacturer adds additional numbers of microorganisms to ensure that each dose
will maintain 70 billion CFUat its expiration date,
Probiotics Strains
Acid Tolerance
Bile Tolerance
Lactobacillus acidophilus
DDS-1 ***
++++ (>90% survival in HCL and pepsin (1%) at pH3 for 1 h at 37C )
++++ (>90% survival in 0.3% in bile salt containing medium)
Lactobacillus plantarum
++++ (>90% survival in HCL and pepsin (1%) at pH3 for 1 h at 37C )
++++ (>90% survival in 0.3% in bile salt containing medium)
Lactobacillus casei
++++ (>90% survival in HCL and pepsin (1%) at pH3 for 1 h at 37C )
++++ (>90% survival in 0.3% in bile salt containing medium)
Bifidobacterium lactis
++++ (>90% survival in HCL and pepsin (1%) at pH3 for 1 h at 37C )
++++ (>90% survival in 0.3% in bile salt containing medium)
Bifidobacterium bifidum
++++++
++++
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
+++ (>70% survival in HCL and pepsin (1%) at pH3 for 1 h at 37C )
++++ (>80% survival in 0.3% in bile salt containing medium)
Lactobacillus salivarius
+++ (>70% survival in HCL and pepsin (1%) at pH3 for 1 h at 37C )
++++ (>80% survival in 0.3% in bile salt containing medium)
Bifidobacterium longum
+++ (>70% survival in HCL and pepsin (1%) at pH3 for 1 h at 37C
++++ (>80% survival in 0.3% in bile salt containing medium)
Streptococcus thermophilus
+ (>60% survival in HCL and pepsin (1%) at pH3 for 1 h at 37C )
++++ (>90% survival in 0.3% in bile salt containing medium)
Lactobacillus brevis
++++++
++++
++++ Excellent
+++Very Good
++ Good
+ Fair
The formula
deliberately does not include Lactobacillus bulgaricus due to its
possible antagonistic effects on Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1.
***
Lactobacillus
acidophilus DDS-1
From major Midwestern
University and prestigious health center (2010).
Conducted a review of case studies to determine whether using a
multispecies probiotic with DDS-1 could enhance bowel health.
This study suggests that DDS-1 may help create a healthy balance of
microflora in the gastrointestinal tract.* From gut (2003).
DDS-1 helped to
support the health of human epithelial cell lines when evaluated as part of a
probiotic blend. Immune support (1997).
In animal research, isolated evaluation of DDS-1 supported the
normal production of immune components. DDS-1 performed this better than three
other strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bfidobacterium bifidum.
Suggested Use of Dr. Mercola's complete
probiotics: Take 2 capsules before breakfast (i.e. on
empty stomach) with water once /day.
I-flora®
Potent. Adult Formula CP-1
capsules have a total bacterial count of 25 billion microorganisms per capsule at date of expiration Strains. Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve,
Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum,
Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus bulgaricus,
Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus gasseri, Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus
paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus
salivarius,
Streptococcus thermophilus. Other Ingredients: Rice
Starch, all Vegetarian & Kosher Capsules.Suggested use of I-flora: Take 1 capsule twice
daily on an empty stomach with water. May increase dosage up to 4 a day, or as
directed by a health professional.
How to take a probiotic supplement
Take probiotic supplement prior to eating breakfast with a glass of pure water; Wait 10-15 minutes after taking it before you eat.
This is the most efficient method
because stomach acid from your meal could impact some of the 'good' bacteria
(you could lose 5-10%); however, if you
forget, take it anyway even with a meal Avoid taking it within 3 hours of taking any antibiotic Store probiotic in airtight container in freezer
to retain maximum potency Consume prebiotics to feed benefical flora
Some examples of successful probiotic treatment dosages
Indication
Strain or Product
Dose
Infant diarrhea
L. rhamnosus GG ( www.culturelle.com)
L. casei DN114001 (strain "Defensisï››")
(www.danactive.com)
~1010 /d
~1010 /d
Inflammatory bowel conditions
VSL#3 (www.vsl3.com )
~1012 /d
Antibiotic associated diarrhea
S. boulardii ( www.florastor.com)
L. rhamnosus GG
500 mg 4x/d
~1010 /d
GI symptoms
B. infantis 35624 ( www.aligngi.com)
B. animalis DN-173 010 ("Bifidus regularisï››"www.activia.com)
109 /d
~1010 /d
"Keeping Healthy"
L. reuteri (www.stonyfield.com; www.biogaia.com)
L. casei DN114001
108 -109 /d
~1010 /d
Allergy infants
L. rhamnosus GG
~1010 /d
Lactose intolerance
L. bulgaricus and/or S. thermophilus
(all strains)
~1010 /d
108 /ml milk)
Immune support
B. lactis HN019 (HOWARU™or DR10 www.danisco.com)
B. lactis Bb12 ( www.bradpharm.com)
L. casei DN114001
~1010 /d
~1010 /d
~1010 /d
Vaginal applications
L. rhamnosus GR-1; L. reuteri RC-14 ~1010/d
(www.urexbiotech.com; Fem-Dophilus www.jarrow.com)
~1010 /d
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
B. infantis 35264 ("Bifantis"www.aligngi.com)
109 /d -1010 /d
Consume prebiotics to feed beneficial flora
Prebiotic benefits
Selectively utilized by probiotic bacteria
already in the colon, to promote their growth and colonization
Normalize bowel function -
may be used to manage diarrhea and constipation
Prebiotic sources -
include:
FOS
(Fructooligosaccharides) are the major class of prebiotics.
Found in chicory, garlic, onion, wheat, rye, bananas,
leeks, tomatoes, legumes, fruits, Jerusalem artichoke,and raw honey Fiber. Dominant in a healthy colon is
BIFIDO , a family that thrives
on dietary soluble fiber - i.e. the type in most fruits and grains.
BIFIDO
bacteria break down this fiber,
creating fatty acids (called butyrate) that help promote healthy peristalsis in
the colon to facilitate easy bowel movements.
