Bug Crazy: Assessing The Benefits of Probiotics

[question everything]

JANUARY 13, 2009

Bug Crazy: Assessing The Benefits of Probiotics
By LAURA JOHANNES
WSJ

Bacteria are everywhere, and in the view of many people that's a good thing. Many medical experts believe that consuming healthy bacteria, called probiotics, improves the body's overall balance of good versus bad micro-organisms, boosting general health. But nutritionists warn that not all the probiotic-containing products found on store shelves provide the health benefits they claim... To be sure, some regular foods contain healthy bacteria, from common yogurt to naturally fermented pickles. But pasteurization has eliminated much of the flora found in modern foods. The recent boom in probiotic products reflects an effort to re-introduce bacteria believed to promote good health. Probiotics are generally considered safe to eat, but scientists say people with immune deficiencies should consult their doctor first.

Companies that sell products with added probiotics claim they offer a range of health benefits, from helping with digestion to boosting the immune system and preventing cavities. Some of the claims are based on reputable scientific study. But others are unproved, and advertising pitches are sometimes exaggerated. The quality of probiotic supplements also varies widely. As a result, consumers might have a difficult time choosing among a host of products. Of several hundred probiotic-product lines on the market in North America, "15 to 20 have clinical studies behind them," says Gregor Reid, a professor of microbiology at the University of Western Ontario's Lawson Research Institute.

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In choosing a probiotic, consumers should look for products that list a specific strain of bacteria on their label or on a Web site. Look for three names -- in Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, for example, the final two letters identify the strain. The GG strain has been well tested scientifically and has shown health benefits. A product that simply uses the first two names may include a similar, but not identical, bacterium that doesn't have the same science behind it.. Say, for example, you want information on the active bacteria in Activia, a probiotic-enhanced yogurt from Dannon Co. The product label identifies the strain as Bifidus Regularis, but this is only a marketing name. The Activia Web site, under the tab "for health-care professionals," links you to summaries of scientific papers that use the scientific name, Bifidobacterium animalis DN-173 010, which has been found to hasten digestion. For additional information, you can do an Internet search of that name and many of the scientific studies on the strain pop up.

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Here are some claims probiotic manufacturers make for their products:

Faster Digestion: Dannon's Activia yogurt and Yoplait Yo-Plus yogurt, made by General Mills Inc., contain bacteria that have been shown in scientific studies to reduce "transit time" of waste through the intestines. Slow digestion isn't necessarily bad but can cause discomfort, such as bloating or constipation.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: This disorder, including cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea, can be disabling. A scientific task force, which published its findings in the American Journal of Gastroenterology this month, concluded that certain probiotic bacteria -- primarily bifidobacteria -- have shown "some efficacy" in treating the condition.

Colic: When babies scream or cry with no apparent reason, it's called colic. A study of 83 infants, published last year in the journal Pediatrics found that five drops a day of a probiotic supplement from Sweden's BioGaia AB reduced median crying time from 197 minutes a day to 51 minutes. A control group of babies was given a liquid medication commonly used to treat colic but not widely viewed as effective; this group's crying fell to a median of 145 minutes a day.

Immune Health: Studies have long found that probiotics help regulate the immune system on a biochemical level. A small but growing number of studies are showing concrete health benefits in humans. Among them is an Israeli study that looked at Lactobacillus reuteri 55730 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb-12. Published in 2005 in Pediatrics, the three-month study of 201 infants found that babies fed with either of the two probiotic formulas had fewer episodes of fever and diarrhea than babies fed a control formula. Of the two bacteria, L. reuteri was more effective in preventing illness, the study found.


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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123180831081775767.html (subscription)

[SheilaT]

1. So many people are willingly gullible.

Lots of unproven claims are made about lots of things, and lots of people don't bother to think critically about them.

[KT2000]

2. The thing about probiotics

People who take them KNOW whether they are working or not.

[Orrex]

3. You'll agree that that's hardly objective though, right?

Not very useful as a double-blind empirical study.

[KT2000]

5. I take them

because they work.
I am as suspicious of the double-blind studies as aticles hawking particular products and pharmaceuticals.

[Orrex]

7. But how do you KNOW they work? Because you think they worked for you?

On what basis can you conclude that the probiotics should be credited with the observed effect, as opposed to some other variable? How do you know you're not experiencing the famous placebo effect?

Double-blind studies are one of the best tools we have for objective verification of hypotheses. Without them, we are unable to exclude the effects of bias, wishful thinking, and propaganda.


You're still welcome to dismiss double blind studies, but your position on the matter is still incorrect.

[KT2000]

8. Some double-blind studies

are good and others are not. There are many ways to stack a study. The selection of people have an effect on the outcome as well. You do realize that some drug studies use the homeless, some of whom know they will not be selected to participate in other studies if they express bad results.
I do not think they are useless, but I do not think they are always the last word.

I am able to tell when the probiotics are working or not because of the effect they have on my digestive system. I have taken probiotics that did not work - different brands with different ingredients, or sometimes not kept at a cool enough temp, therefore killing them.

You are just going to have to believe me that it is not the placebo effect.
Some day you may experience health problems that cannot be helped with pharmaceuticals, or the side effects will call for even more pharmaceuticals that will also have side effects.
Then you may look for help and find a wealth of information about the proper fuctioning of the body and the reasons why you are experiencing problems.
Restocking the intestines with the "good bacteria" is not really revolutionary. Western diets can easily cause overgrowth of the "bad bacteria" which kills off the "good bacteria." It could happen from antibiotic treatment, excess sugar intake etc.

[cosmik debris]

9. There is no way to determine if you are telling the truth.

There is no independent, unbiased verification.

There is no way to tell that you are not just making it up.

And since what you say sounds unbelievable, improbable, and contrary to common knowledge of biological processes, I don't believe you.

[KT2000]

11. Take some

believe me - you will know.

[cosmik debris]

12. I've taken plenty

It keeps me regular.

That's what it is supposed to do.

But that's all it does.

The rest is just your imagination at work.

[cosmik debris]

4. Probiotics work...

In the intestines to give you a smooth, firm, regular bowel movement.

That makes you feel better.

If you ascribe any other attributes to probiotics, please present a link to the scientific study that confirms your point.

[BuddhaGirl]

6. probiotics are the bomb

they keep the immune system strong, and help with allergies...my husband has allergies, but when he remembers to take his probiotics regularly, he has far fewer symptoms.

The strain Saccaromyces Boulardi is wonderful for controlling diarrhea; it has been given to AIDS patients for suffering from horrible diarrhea, with good results.

[cosmik debris]

10. Yeah, the toilet bomb

probiotics keep you regular. That's about all they do.

[BuddhaGirl]

14. maybe for you

and that's okay. I and many others, however, know differently. :-)

[cosmik debris]

15. So show me the evidence

But that doesn't include anecdotes, sales pitches, or opinions.

Have you got any unbiased independent verification of your statements?

[HamdenRice]

13. I've had them prescribed after very strong anti-biotics

I caught an intestinal parasite near the Bophutatswana-Botswana border back in the 1980s. I was shitting blood and water. The doc prescribed neutron bomb strength antibiotics which cleared the bug. He then prescribed probiotics to reestablish normal flora in the bowel.

Probiotics have many functions -- so many that some theorists think of humans as a colony rather than a single organism. There are foods we cannot digest without them, and there are vitamins that are manufactured in the gut by them.

You would die of malnutrition without flora in the gut.

[BuddhaGirl]

16. good testimony!

thanks for sharing!