Natremed

Our digestive tract & genitourinary tracts are home to many types of bacteria and yeast. These bacteria play important roles in maintaining and optimising digestive function. Exposure to stress, poor diet (refined, high sugar), infection and some medicines disrupts the balance of the bacteria in our digestive, promoting the growth of “unfriendly” bacteria .

Probiotics are the “friendly” bacteria that help control levels of potentially dangerous bugs found in our body. If the level of probiotics are negatively influenced by stress, poor diet, medications or other factors we experience disease. This is because probiotics play an important role in immune & digestive system health.

Prebiotics are the food for the probiotics. They come from fermentable fibre, this fibre passes through the digestive tract undigested until it reaches the colon, where it encourages probiotic bacteria to grow and produce.

Dietary sources of Probiotics:

Certain species and strains of Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria are found in Natural yoghurt (not all). Yakult does contain probiotics but in small amounts and it is relativly high in sugar.

Dietary sources of Prebiotics:

Also known as Inulin, Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), Polydextrose, Arabinogalactan, Lactulose,  and  Lactitol. These are found in whole grains, onions, bananas, garlic, honey, artichoke, leeks, miso, soy beans, chicory root, flax seed.

Medicinal Uses:

Food sources are great for maintaining high levels of healthy gut bacteria, however, if you are exposed to any of the factors that dramatically reduce probiotic levels (stress, allergies, oral contraceptive pill (OCP), antibiotics, antacids, gut infections) it is best to supplement with high dose strain-specific probiotic formulas.

Immune function:

Probiotics modulate & balance immune responses, by stimulating specific immune cells. Effective in the treatment of childhood atopic reactions, probiotics act to reduce atopic disease such as dermatits, hayfever and asthma, especially in children.

Digestive function:

An overgrowth of intestinal parasites can lead to uncomfortable sensations in the gut such as cramping, diarrhoea, wind and bloating. Supplementing with large doses of healthy bacterial strains can counteract these symptoms and help to resolve the natural flora balance of the gut. Probiotics improve digestion and the effects of food intolerance such as seen in lactose & gluten intolerance. Infection, such as travellers diarrhoea can also be resolved by pre and probiotics.

Reducing side effects of medications:

Antibiotics are great at reducing bacterial infections but unfortunately they do not select which bacteria they eradicate and work by killing all bacteria in the gut. It is therefore important to follow up a course of antibiotics with specific probiotics to ensure healthy gut function after the infection has resolved. Probiotics can also reduce side effects associated with antibiotic function such as diarrhoea and thrush The OCP changes the PH balance of the vagina and gut making them more susceptible to opportunistic fungal and bacterial infections that would otherwise not survive these environments. Probiotics reduce side effects such as abdominal bloating and thrush.

Promote vitamin K synthesis:

The majority of vitamin K is synthesised in the small intestine. Adequate amounts of probiotics are required to allow this process to take place. Vitamin K is an essential nutrient, required for blood coagulation and calcium absorption.

Caution:

None known.

Reference:

Gill et al 2001, Enhancement of immunity in the elderly by dietary supplementation with probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis. Am. J. Clin. Nutr 74:833-839 Chiang et al (2000), European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 54: 849-855