Your intestinal tract plays a vital role in your overall health, not only allowing life-supporting nutrients to be absorbed, but also providing the first line of defense as a physical and immune barrier to food antigens or microorganisms that you may ingest. Within this environment is a highly active society of approximately 500 different species of bacteria that can have both harmful and beneficial effects on your health. A proliferation of unhealthy bacteria can damage your intestinal lining and lead to the production of carcinogenic compounds and intestinal symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. A damaged intestinal lining allows infectious agents, toxic compounds, and macromolecules to pass through the blood stream. Symptoms of this "leaky gut syndrome" include fatigue, brain fog, diarrhea, and skin rashes. Ultimately it can lead to many digestive disorders as well as seemingly unrelated illnesses including eczema, migraine headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer.
Conversely the healthy, or "friendly", microflora provide protection against these harmful bacteria by strengthening the intestinal lining, competing with harmful bacteria for attachments with epithelial cells, producing antimicrobial compounds, and enhancing the intestinal immune system. Maintaining a well balanced microflora can be accomplished by the therapeutic use of beneficial microorganisms, or probiotics. These microorganisms are live beneficial bacteria that help to reestablish a healthy microbial balance and exert health benefits. Probiotics double levels of interferon gamma, which is a substance created by T-cells that plays a key role in fighting virus infections. The numerous health benefits attributed to probiotics are:
1.The control of harmful bacteria such as E.coli.
2.Stimulated immune function.
3.Decreased side effects of antibiotic material such as diarrhea.
4.The control of uro-genital infections.
5.Improved digestion of lactose for people suffering from lactose intolerance.
6.Decreased harmful activities of intestinal bacteria that may lead to cancer of the colon or other organs.
7.Assimilation of cholesterol, therefore helping to lower blood cholesterol levels.
8.Improved integrity of the intestinal barrier.
Bifidobacteria is another probiotic naturally occurring in humans. There are several beneficial factors of bifidobacteria when given to infants such as the prevention of intestinal infections. Bifidobacteria also produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that have a antimicrobial effect by lowering the pH of the colon, in addition to other inhibitory influences on bacterial cell growth. No matter what your probiotic need, we can help test and balance your gastrointestinal flora. Every body is unique in it's need; you may need Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus, or Bifidobacterium. You can contact our office and find out what exactly your body needs.
The use of probiotics offers an intervention with essentially no risk that may provide significant health benefits by stabilizing the intestinal microflora. Prebiotics and bioactive proteins are also useful in supporting a healthy bacterial balance.