Probiotics are one of the hottest topics in medicine and nutrition right now, with yogurt manufacturers promoting probiotic-infused yogurt and many new supplements hitting the market every month claiming to be the best new probiotic. Before trying one of these products, it's important to understand what probiotics are, which probiotics have been scientifically proven to work and even which probiotics may cause harm! Probiotics aren't actually anything new - historians point to stories of King Francis I of France being 'magically' cured of a serious illness in the early 1500's after he ate specially prepared yogurt. However, modern medical science has allowed us to isolate various types of probiotic bacteria and determine which are safest and most effective. Probiotics are sometimes also known as good bacteria, beneficial bacteria or helpful bacteria. Probiotics are actually different types of bacteria, which scares many people away from trying probiotic supplements. However, while some bacteria does cause infections and other health problems, there are also literally 100 trillion bacteria from about 500 different individual strains living in the digestive system of a healthy human being. These beneficial bacteria aid in digestion by breaking down certain nutrients, maintaining a healthy environment in the digestive system, preventing the growth of bad bacteria and much more. Scientific research has documented quite a few benefits of probiotics, including: Managing Lactose Intolerance - "Considerations for use of probiotic bacteria to modulate human health". Journal of Nutrition, February 2000. Prevention of Colon Cancer - "Protective role of probiotics and prebiotics in colon cancer". American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, February 2001. Lowering Cholesterol - "Considerations for use of probiotic bacteria to modulate human health". Journal of Nutrition, February 2000. Lowering Blood Pressure - "Considerations for use of probiotic bacteria to modulate human health". Journal of Nutrition, February 2000. Improving Mineral Absorption - "Probiotic lactobacilli: an innovative tool to correct the malabsorption syndrome of vegetarians?". Medical Hypotheses, 2005. Boosting Your Immune System Managing Stress - "Probiotics May Help Stressed Gut". WebMD, April 25, 2006 Treating H. Pylori Infections (ulcers) - "The role of probiotics in the treatment and prevention of Helicobacter pylori infection". International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, October 2003 Preventing and Lessening Diarrhea - "Use of probiotic Lactobacillus preparation to prevent diarrhea associated with antibiotics: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial". British Medical Journal, 2007 Reducing Inflammation - "Potential uses of probiotics in clinical practice". Clinical Microbiology Reviews, October 2003 Managing and Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) - "A controlled, double-blind, randomized study on the efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum 299V in patients with irritable bowel syndrome". European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2001 It's important to find a probiotic that contains the correct strains of probiotics to achieve these benefits, however. Ideally, a probiotic supplement should contain: * Bifidobacterium lactis * Lactobacillus acidophilus * Lactobacillus paracasei * Lactobacillus rhamnosus This just scratches the surface of probiotics and their wonderful abilities - for more information, please read my probiotics blog at http://www.acidophilusprobiotics.com/blog/
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