With all the health information being distributed these days, it seems like anything can help you feel better and be more active in your life. That is, until tomorrow when that same information is shown to be false in a different study. However, when you stop to consider how your body works, regardless of how science says that it reacts to certain supplements, you will see that certain health advice is right on target.

What are Probiotics?

In the case of probiotics, your body already has these substances within the digestive tract. They are there to help your body break down foods in order to be used as nutrition for the cells. Without these substances, your body would have troubles with digestion, causing everything from malnutrition to problems like diarrhea and bloating. What’s interesting about probiotics is that they contain all of the things your body should have in it, but that most of our bodies are lacking on a regular basis.

Probiotics consist of microorganisms like bacteria that help to break down foods into substances that the cells can use for nutrition. Some of these microorganisms include:
Bifidobacterium
Enterococcus
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Saccharomyces boulardii
Lactobacillus fermentum KLD

These are good, naturally occurring bacteria that you actually want in your body..

Why are Probiotics Important for Your Health?

Through stress, poor eating habits and food allergies, our bodies have become unbalanced – mostly within the digestive system. We don’t always eat right or drink enough water, so the foods we do eat aren’t able to be assimilated into the body as they should. This means that we are missing out on essential nutrients that can help us maintain our energy levels as well as our good health.

The natural immune system functions are based in the digestive tract as well, so when your digestive tract is out of balance, you can also become sick more often. This makes sense too. Because our bodies require certain nutrition levels in order to function properly, a lack of proper nutrition because of poor digestion will lead to immune system imbalances.

But going beyond helping the body with energy, nutrition, and immune system function, women especially can use probiotics for their reproductive health. Studies suggest that regular consumption of probiotics may help reduce the recurrence of vaginal yeast infections.

Those that suffer from problems with diarrhea on a regular basis may also benefit from probiotics use as this will help to stabilize the digestive function. If you have certain food allergies, probiotics may help with any reactions you might be having from certain meals you have eaten too.

Where Can You Find Probiotics?

Since many scientific studies are connecting probiotics to health benefits, many more products area being fortified with them. For example, yogurt already has natural probiotics, but you will find that additional bacteria are being added to help increase the health benefits.

Supplements that contain probiotics are also readily available at health food stores and in grocery centers.

These supplements do not generally cause any side effects and can be taken by most people so long as there are no preexisting medical conditions.

We might take eating for granted, but we should not take our digestion health for granted any longer. Probiotics help us help our bodies keep the nutrients moving through our bodies, helping us live, work, and play

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But all probiotics are not alike. And with the increase in products that claim to provide probiotic benefits, it’s important to look for those strains that have been thoroughly researched and proven to be effective. These strains can help to restore the body’s natural balance, boost overall health and strengthen the immune system for individuals of all ages–from infancy to old age.

One example is Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), a probiotic strain that occurs naturally in the human gastrointestinal tract. L. reuteri is one of the few probiotic strains to undergo rigorous testing, including 37 clinical studies involving 3,000 patients, and has been shown to be both safe and effective for all ages, including infants.

Another important characteristic of L. reuteri is its ability to bind easily to the gastrointestinal lining, where it attaches and grows on the intestinal wall. Here, it begins to "defend its territory" by fighting off harmful bacteria.

As additional proof of L. reuteri’s health benefit for infants, a recent study is showing promising results in reducing the symptoms of colic.

Probiotics And Colic

Colic affects as many as 25 percent of newborn children and is characterized by episodes of intense, excessive, inconsolable crying–totaling more than three hours a day–without an identifiable cause.

Although the underlying causes of colic have remained unclear, advances in recent technology have shown that most cases may be caused by gastrointestinal issues, such as infant acid reflux.

A study published in the January 2007 issue of the journal Pediatrics showed that babies given the probiotic L. reuteri reduced their crying time significantly.

The study compared two groups of infants–one was given drops of the probiotic L. reuteri, and the other, drops of simethicone, the ingredient found in most over-the-counter colic drops. After 28 days, the babies given L. reuteri significantly reduced their crying times–from 197 minutes to just 51 minutes a day. By comparison, the crying time of the babies given simethicone decreased from 197 minutes per day to 145. Ninety-five percent of the babies given L. reuteri responded positively in terms of reduction in crying time (a reduction of 50 percent or more) vs. just 7 percent of the babies treated with simethicone.

"This study suggests a potentially exciting role of L. reuteri as a new therapeutic approach to gastrointestinal disorders characterized as colic," says Bryan Vartabedian, M.D., pediatric gastroenterologist and author of the book "Colic Solved." "The safety profile of L. reuteri makes it a favorable consideration for parents of newborns diagnosed with colic."

Parents can get L. reuteri to help treat their colicky infants from BioGaia Probiotic Drops. BioGaia is a Swedish company that exclusively manufactures the probiotic.

By: Wendy Mitchell

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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