Probiotics and your Gut Brain

The Longer Story

As far back as records go, mankind has used the art of fermenting foods to improve the storage time and beneficial properties of foods.

Foods with short storage time, particularly the milk from camels, buffalo, goats, sheep and cows were fermented naturally to produce an acidic tasting food drink.

History suggests that some of the first yogurts were produced in goatskin bags, draped over the backs of camels in the hot deserts of North Africa. Temperatures reaching 40 C or 110 F were ideal for lactic acid producing bacteria to go to work. Since this period many races have fermented many types of foods in the need for developing new tastes and improving shelf life.

Fermented foods have a long history of nutritional and therapeutic benefits with many of the long- lived cultures around the world using some form of fermented foods to achieve longevity and maintain good health.

The famous Hunzas of Kashmir and the Georgians of the former Soviet Union, have been highlighted by their amazing history of longevity include fermented foods as a significant part of their diet.

Males of over 100 years participating in horse events such as polo, and women working in the farm fields at over 100 years, are not uncommon. Fermented foods such as yoghurt, fermented cheese, miso, tempeh and sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), provide beneficial bacteria to the digestive system, as long as they haven’t been pasteurised.

There is a growing weight of scientific evidence that demonstrates fermented foods play a significant role in human health.

A healthy intestinal tract should contain at least 85 percent of these ‘friendly’ bacteria to prevent over-colonisation of pathogenic, disease-causing micro- organisms.

Studies have also shown that maternal and neonatal diet may have long-lasting effects in the development of chronic adulthood diseases, such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease and have implicated the benefits of probiotics in the prevention of these diseases.

It is also important to note that all the bacteria in the InLiven formula are sourced from fruits, vegetables or grains…and not fecal matter.

Research has shown that Lactobacilli bacteria may:

• Reduce cholesterol in the blood.
• Increase nutrient assimilation, including calcium.
• Reduce high blood pressure.
• Assist in the elimination of ailments such as colon irritation, constipation, diarrhoea and acne.
• Retard yeast infections.
• Strengthen the immune system.
• Manufacture and assimilate B complex vitamins (which include niacin, biotin, folic acid, riboflavin and B12).
• Help digest proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
• Produce natural anti-bacterial agents (antibiotics).
• Produce cancer or tumour suppressing compounds.
• Control the pH or acidity-alkaline levels in the intestines.
• Reduce unhealthy bacteria in the intestinal tract.
• Detoxify poisonous materials in the diet.
• Detoxify hazardous chemicals added to foods, such as nitrates.

Lactobacillus bacteria form a significant part of the natural intestinal flora. Large populations of this, and other lactic acid producing bacteria, regulate the levels of friendly bacteria and reduce the levels of toxic pathogens that cause ill health.

The presence of active bacteria in the gut can aid the digestive process by helping to break down foods. To attain the health benefits attributed to Lactobacilli fermented foods, live active bacteria need to be consumed on a regular basis. It is believed the life span in the human body of these cells is 3 to 10 days. Only the active forms have the ability to tolerate the acidity of the stomach and the alkalinity of the intestine to produce health benefits.

Here are some conditions which have been helped by consuming probiotics

Probiotics and Antibiotics

Probiotic supplementation is critical for the prevention of antibiotic-induced conditions (candida, urinary tract infections, and diarrhoea). Antibiotics destroy friendly gut bacteria along with the harmful bacteria.

Thus, taking probiotics after antibiotic therapy will restore gut flora to a healthy balance. Lactic acid producing bacteria alter the pH of the large intestine, making it inhospitable to undesirable bacteria, moulds, mould spores and yeast, particularly Candida.

Probiotics and Autism

A medical study on probiotics for autism has proven so successful that the study ‘failed’, according to a New Scientist report on September 9, 2006. The study, by Prof Glenn Gibson at Reading University, UK, found that autistic children vastly improved their concentration and behaviour when given probiotics, or ‘friendly bacteria’.

It involved 40 autistic children, aged 4 to 8, half of whom were given the probiotic bacteria L. Plantanum while the other half received a dummy ‘probiotic’.

It was supposed to have been a blind study, where the participants were not told who were taking the actual probiotics and who were taking placebos or dummy medicine.

As part of this probiotics for autism study, parents were asked to record their children’s mood and behaviour in a diary.

The results were too obvious. Parents whose autistic children were taking the actual probiotics saw such great improvements in their children’s behaviour that they knew their children were taking the real thing.

Thus, problems arose during the ‘crossover’ point of this probiotics for autism study, where the two groups were supposed to switch medicines.

When it came time for the families to switch, the families who had been receiving the actual probiotics refused to change over to the placebo.

As a result the study experienced an astronomical drop-out rate that caused the study eventually to fail. Many of the parents whose children were taking the actual probiotics refused to make the switch as they wanted their autistic children to continue their improvement. One parent said it was “heartbreaking” to have to stop their child taking it.

Probiotics and Ageing

Recent studies suggest an association between inflammation status and the presence of chronic disease in the elderly. Probiotics might improve the inflammatory condition of the elderly.

Differences in the gut bacteria may be related to the progression of diseases and frailty in the elderly population. It appears possible to extend healthy aging and lifespan by manipulating the complex ecosystem of gut bacteria. Consumption of probiotics have been shown to improve the quality of life in the elderly.

Probiotics and Allergies / Eczema / Dermatitis

Gastrointestinal microflora dominated by lactic acid bacteria is crucial for the maturation and proper functioning of human immune system. There is very promising evidence to recommend the addition of probiotics for prevention and treatment of allergic diseases, especially atopic dermatitis.

Clinical improvement in allergic rhinitis and eczema has been reported too. Studies have also shown a significant risk reduction for atopic eczema in children aged 2-7 years by the administration of probiotics during pregnancy and demonstrated the efficacy of probiotics in the treatment of paediatric atopic dermatitis.

Probiotics and Anxiety / Depression

Research suggests that bacteria in the GI tract can communicate with the central nervous system. Probiotics could be proposed as a novel strategy as an adjuvant for psychiatric treatment of anxiety and depression.

Probiotics and Colon Cancer

Probiotics have the potential to impact significantly on the development, progression and treatment of colorectal cancer and may have a valuable role in cancer prevention. Studies point out the inverse relation between the consumption of probiotics and prebiotics in colon cancer diagnosis.

Probiotics and Cholesterol / Hypertension

Studies have shown that probiotics were found to improve certain metabolic disorders such as hypertension and that a diet rich in probiotics decreases total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentration in plasma for people with high, borderline high and normal cholesterol levels.

Probiotics and Infections

Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei have demonstrated antibacterial activity of against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Probiotics minimise the postoperative occurrence of infectious complications.

Probiotics may be beneficial for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections and offer a potential new means to prevent urogenital infections and help maintain a healthy vaginal ecosystem.

Probiotics and Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other Gastrointestinal Diseases

Bacterial probiotic therapy shortens the duration of acute diarrhoeal illness in children.

Probiotics may offer a safe and effective method to prevent travellers diarrhoea. Probiotic may be a safe and effective option for the relief of abdominal pain and bloating for patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotic treatment is effective in maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis. It is probable that probiotics may be the future best treatment also for mild-to-moderate uncomplicated attacks of acute diverticulitis.

Probiotics and Leaky Gut / Food allergies

In modern society many of the beneficial necessary bacteria have been destroyed in the majority of people’s digestive tract due to food intolerances, certain drug ingestion, bacterial/viral infections, modern lifestyle and stress. By promoting proper digestion of foods, friendly bacteria aid in preventing food allergies. If digestion is poor, the activity of intestinal bacteria on undigested food may lead to excessive production of histamine, which triggers allergic symptoms.

This leads to digestive problems and leaky gut, where the gut lining becomes inflamed. This inflammation creates gaps in the gut wall which allows macro food particles and other foreign microbes to enter the body and create an immune response, resulting in allergies, further exacerbating food intolerances and possibly triggering autoimmune diseases. Probiotics decrease intestinal permeability and improve the ability to effectively digest, process, and absorb nutrients from foods.

Probiotics have been shown to enhance immunity, improve gut infections and reduce production of toxic by-products in the bowel.

Probiotics and Liver Function

Short-term oral supplementation with probiotics was associated with restoration of the bowel flora and greater improvement in alcohol-induced liver injury.

Probiotics and Obesity / Metabolic Syndrome

New findings explain how gut bacteria can be involved in the development or control of, obesity and associated inflammation. The numbers of certain probiotic bacteria is inversely related to fat mass development, diabetes, and/or the low levels of inflammation associated with obesity. Future treatments for obesity may involve modulation of gut bacteria using probiotics.

Probiotics and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatment with Bacillus coagulans, probiotic bacteria, appeared to be a safe and effective for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Refs.

Lactobacillus Acidophilus. American Institute of Biosocial Research Inc. 1989

Lactobacillus feeding Alters Human Colonic Bacterial Activities. Nutritional Reviews Vol. 42 No.4 Nov 1984

Assimilation of Cholesterol by Lactobacillus Acidophilus. Applied and Environmental Microbiology Vol 49 No.2, Feb 1985.

Death Begins in the Colon. Dr Robert Chamberlain March. BS, MsT, RMT, ND.

Disclaimer: this article is intended for educational purposes and does not amount to medical advice. Always consult your health/medical practitioner.

This information was submitted by Bill Lee-Emery, mBIT Master Trainer and any questions can be directed to [email protected] This is part of the services he offers to his coaching clients and students and constitutes part of his business practice.

Note that the information, suggestions and recommendations provided in the above articles are those of Bill Lee-Emery and are not intended to provide medical or psychological advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect those of mBIT International Pty Ltd or its staff.