Biologist Élie Metchnikoff, who greatly contributed to many important discoveries about the immune response , spoke highly about the possible health benefits of the lactic acid-bacteria (LAB) Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus in his writings at the turn of the last century. In his book, The Prolongation of Life, he wrote that consumption of live bacteria, such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, in the form of yogurt was beneficial for gastrointestinal health, as well as for health in general, and for longevity. Some recent research suggests that certain live microorganisms may have immunomodulatory and anticarcinogenic effects, as well as other health benefits.

There is continuous, active research focusing on the development of target-specific probiotics that contain well-characterized bacteria that are selected for their health-enhancing characteristics. These new probiotics are entering the marketplace in the form of nutritional supplements and functional foods, such as yogurt functional food products.  Natural Factors Multi Acidophilus with FOS is a non-dairy; Probiotic formula and dietary supplement that Promotes well-being & digestive health with beneficial micro-flora.  This synergistic combination supports intestinal tract health and contains FOS, an excellent growth factor for beneficial micro-flora.

Potential Benefits

Research and experiments into the benefits of probiotic therapies suggest several potentially beneficial medicinal uses for probiotics. These include:

The Prevention of Colon Cancer:
In laboratory investigations, LAB demonstrated anti-mutagenic effects which were thought to be due to their ability to bind with heterocyclic amines; carcinogenic substances formed in cooked meat. Most human studies have found that LAB exerts anti-carcinogenic effect by decreasing the activity of an enzyme called ß-glucuronidase (which can generate carcinogens in the digestive system). Lower rates of colon cancer among higher consumers of fermented dairy products have also been observed in some population studies.

Aid & Management of Lactose Intolerance: LAB converts lactose into lactic acid therefore; their ingestion may help lactose intolerant individuals tolerate more lactose than what they would have otherwise.

Lowering of Cholesterol: Some human studies have shown that dairy foods fermented with LAB can produce modest reductions in total and LDL cholesterol levels in those with normal levels to begin with.

Lowering of The Blood Pressure: It has been observed in several small clinical trials, that the consumption of milk, fermented with various strains of LAB can result in modest reductions in blood pressure. It is thought that this is due to the ACE inhibitor-like peptides produced during fermentation.

Preventing Infections and Improving Immune Functions: Probiotics are thought to have several presumably beneficial effects on immune function. They may protect against pathogens by means of competitive inhibition (i.e., by competing for growth) and there is evidence to suggest that they may improve immune function by increasing the number of IgA-producing plasma cells, increasing or improving phagocytosis as well as increasing the proportion of T lymphocytes and Natural Killer cells.  LAB foods and probiotic supplements have been shown to be effective in the treatment and prevention of acute diarrhea in decreasing the severity and duration of rotavirus infections in children as well as antibiotic associated and travelers diarrhea in adults.

Inflammation Reduction: Probiotic supplements have been found to modulate inflammatory and hypersensitivity responses, an observation thought to be at least in part due to the regulation of cytokine function.   Clinical studies suggest that they can prevent reoccurrences of inflammatory bowel disease in adults, as well as improve milk allergies and decrease the risk of atopic eczema in children.

Improving Mineral Absorption: It is stated that probiotic lactobacilli may help correct malabsorption of trace minerals, found particularly in those with diets high in phytate content from whole grains, nuts, and legumes.

Prevents The Growth Of Harmful Bacterial Under Stress: In an animal study done to see the effects of stress on intestinal flora, rats that were fed probiotics had little occurrence of harmful bacteria latched onto their intestines compared to rats that were fed sterile water.

Colitis & Irritable Bowel Syndrome: B. infantis 35624, sold as Align, was found to improve some of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in women in a recent study.  Another probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus plantarum 299V, has also been found to be effective in reducing IBS symptoms. Additionally, a probiotic formulation, VSL3, has also been found effective in treating ulcerative colitis.