Immune system: The low down on probiotics for boosting your body's natural defences
Did you know that you have around 100,000,000,000,000 bacteria in your intestines that can weigh up to a whopping 1.5kg? This intestinal microflora consists of both friendly probiotic bacteria and bad pathogenic bacteria that co-exist in a complex ecosystem.
Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria species help maintain a healthy balance of intestinal flora by producing organic compounds such as lactic acid and acetic acid. These substances help keep your colon slightly acidic, which helps the good bacteria thrive and also inhibits the growth of many harmful strains of bacteria, yeast and parasites.
Additionally, friendly bacteria are involved in the manufacture of certain B vitamins and several other nutrients such as short-chain fatty acids, and the amino acids arginine, cysteine and glutamine, which are all needed for efficient gut and immune health.
Unfortunately the balance of friendly bacteria in the gut can easily be disrupted by stress, poor diet, antibiotics and pollution. These disruptions can compromise your health, resulting in poor digestion and weakened immunity, and conditions such as diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, excess gas and yeast infections.
Studies have revealed that replenishing your gut with probiotics can help prevent these imbalances. However, as Dr Georges Mouton, recognised internationally for his scientific medical procedures in functional medicine, points out: When choosing a probiotic supplement, it is just as important to pay attention to the types (or strains) of friendly bacteria as to their number of billions. Different strains of friendly bacteria play different roles in supporting a healthy body. You can directly target diarrhoea, bloating or immunity by carefully selecting a probiotic supplement containing specific strains of friendly bacteria.
With this knowledge in mind, Wren Laboratories have developed a range of six different types of DTECTA Probiotic formulations that target specific health concerns. These include: AntiBloat, DiarSafe, A'Biotica, Travla, Immunox and OptiBac.
Probiotics: Do you have a health complaint that could benefit from one of these six formulas?
1. AntiBloat: Abdominal bloating can be caused by a number of factors including over-eating, constipation, intestinal gas or an overgrowth of yeast organisms known as Candida albicans.
AntiBloat contains a blend of four different types of friendly bacteria designed to counter these problems. Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactococcus lactis work together to promote detoxification, support bowel regularity and inhibit intestinal pathogens. Lactococcus lactis in particular is renowned for its antimicrobial effects against harmful bacteria and some fungi.
The formula also contains prebiotic compounds called FOS (fructooligosaccharides) naturally-occurring carbohydrates that cannot be digested by the human digestive system, but provide a food source for the growth of beneficial bifidobacteria species in your large intestine.
2. DiarSafe: Diarrhoea can be caused by harmful bacteria usually due to the ingestion of contaminated drinking water, undercooked meat or eggs, or poor hygiene standards. This causes the intestines to become more active than normal in order to flush out irritable micro-organisms, which results in diarrhoea.
It contains Saccharomyces boulardii, a natural and safe probiotic yeast with extensive scientific documentation on preventing diarrhoea. It does this by helping to eliminate pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella from the body (Ref. 1).
3. A Biotica: This product can be taken during and following a course of antibiotics, which kill off both harmful and friendly bacteria in the gut. The product contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus (two of the most studied strains of friendly bacteria), which have the ability to adhere to the cell wall lining of the intestines where they inhibit intestinal pathogens. According to research, probiotic supplements replenish the beneficial bacteria, preventing up to 50 per cent of infections occurring after antibiotic use (Ref. 2).
4. Travla: When eating and drinking unfamiliar foods abroad it pays to take a probiotic supplement. The incidence of traveller s diarrhoea, caused by pathogenic bacteria in drinking water or undercooked foods, can be reduced by the preventive use of probiotics (Ref. 3).
The formula contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Saccharomyces boulardii which work together to protect intestinal microflora, remove gut toxins and prevent diarrhoea.
5. Immunox: This probiotic and antioxidant formula was developed to support the body s resistance to infection. It is recommended for people who lead busy or demanding lifestyles or for those with weaker immune responses (such as people who catch colds easily, the elderly etc).
The probiotic strains in Immunox include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve and Bifidobacterium infantis, popular species that naturally inhabit the human colon. The varied types ensure the intestinal lining throughout the gut is well colonised with healthy bacteria, helping to prevent pathogens and contaminants from entering your bloodstream.
It also contains five antioxidants grape seed extract, pine bark (pycnogenol), curcumin, green tea and bilberry which help neutralise free radicals in the body and prevent cell damage.
The reason behind combining probiotics with antioxidants to boost the immune system is that probiotics aid the absorption of antioxidants (and the nutrients from food) thereby providing a stronger immune-boosting effect than just taking
antioxidants on their own.
6. OptiBac: This balanced formulation of six different probiotic strains combined with prebiotics provides a general probiotic supplement for the daily maintenance of the digestive and immune systems.
The strains of friendly bacteria have been specifically chosen for the different clinically proven health benefits they convey and include Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactococcus lactis, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium breve and Bifidobacterium bifidum (Ref. 4).
DTECTA Probiotics: What to take for best results
AntiBloat: Take one sachet daily with cold food or drink for a seven-day course once a month.
DiarSafe: Take one to two capsules daily depending on the severity of your symptoms or as professionally directed.
A'Biotica: Take two capsules daily with food until the course of antibiotics is finished and then continue for one week after.
Travla: Take two capsules daily with food, preferably starting one week before departure and continuing during travel abroad.
Immunox: Take one capsule daily with food.
OptiBac: Take two capsules daily with food.
Unlike many probiotic supplements, there is no need to refrigerate DTECTA products as the bacteria strains used have undergone studies showing they are stable at room temperature. However, it is recommended that they are stored in a cool and dry place.
References:
1. Med J Aust 1996;164:94 5 [review].
2. Ann Gastroenterol Hepatol 1993;29:15 8.
3. Scarpignato C, Rampal P. Prevention and treatment of traveller s diarrhea: a clinical pharmacological approach. Chemotherapy 1995;41:48 81.
4. European Journal of Cancer Prevention 1997;6 (1)S43 5.
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