MCTFreshman Holly Woodward and Laura Petricka have never heard of probiotics, but they have heard of and tried products that contain them, such as Dannon Activia or Naked Juice.
Woodward said it didn’t surprise her that they didn’t know the products contained probiotics. A lot of people don’t look at the ingredients very closely, she said.
Now the question is, what are probiotics?
The Good Bacteria
In laymen’s terms, probiotics are “bacteria that are good for you,” said Sasha Showsh, associate professor in the biology department. They are living organisms that can limit infections, he said.
Probiotics are a natural agent that inhabit our intestines, said Susan Miller, a registered dietician at Sacred Heart Hospital, 900 W. Clairemont Ave.
Some of their main functions are attributed to preventing diarrhea, and enhancing the immune system, Miller said.
Also, probiotics “prevent the growth of undesirable bacteria” and keep bacteria in the intestines in check, she said.
In addition, if probiotics in the body are disrupted, it may cause problems, Showsh said.
Naturally occurring probiotics – those formed outside of the body – are found in foods like yogurt, a fermented dairy product. In such foods, the primary bacterium is Lactobacillus, Miller said. Most products that have probiotics as a natural bacteria will say so on the label, she said.
Also, any pasteurized product that contained probiotics before the pasteurization process (during which products are treated with heat to kill any germs) would not contain probiotics afterwards, Miller said.
Additionally, certain natural bacteria besides Lactobacillus in yogurt and fermented products “promote the right bacteria to grow,” she said.
Some popular products such as Dannon Activia and Naked Juice contain these natural and possibly beneficial bacteria, according to their labels.
However, in some products that contain probiotics, such as Dannon Activia, the product is fortified with other types of probiotics that may not be necessary, Showsh said.
Although it’s not found too much in the Eau Claire area, Kefir (a fermented beverage like yogurt), and is another product that holds probiotics, Miller said.
She said that some types of good bacteria are more effective than others.
Another way to get probiotics is in the form of pills or powders. However, there is no reason to take probiotic pills unless it is needed, Miller said.
And she added to get over the counter probiotics, a consultation with a doctor is necessary.
However, probiotics through natural sources, such as yogurt, require no doctor visit.
Who should have them, who should not?
“People who are healthy and want to stay that way (may employ probiotics),” Miller said. This good bacterium is also used to help with certain health conditions, she said.
An example of one condition is Diverticulitis, which involves pockets of bacteria in the colon.
People who are recommended for probiotic treatment generally are in a hospital setting. An example of that includes patients who experience tube feeding, Miller said.
Another possibility involves treatment with antibiotics, although it is less likely. Antibiotics cleanse the body of good and bad microorganisms, Showsh said. Also, if diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, vaginitus or another condition arises after the treatment, probiotics may be used to to clear up that condition if necessary, he added.
However, some people do not qualify for any probiotic use of any kind. One such situation involves Neutropenia, which is a weakened immune system, which sometimes is a result of chemotherapy, Miller said.
“It would be recommended that (a patient with Neutropenia) would not get products (with probiotics),” she said.
The verdict?
There have been studies to show that probiotics are beneficial, Showsh said. An example of that occurred in a study in Sweden. Half of the workers at a factory were treated with probiotics, and the other half were not. Results in this study showed that the half of factory workers treated with probiotics were less likely to be sick, as opposed to the other half. However, outside factors may have attributed to this result, Showsh said.
Woodward, who has tried Dannon Activia, said she didn’t think it worked, but also said she might not have used it enough.
As for Petricka, she said she thinks positively about the overall effect of probiotics.
“I think it would be good for everyone,” she said.
So far, there have been no negative effects on healthy people who have used probiotics, Miller said.
But while there is successful evidence leaning toward probiotics, people still need to step back, Showsh said.
“The most important thing is the jury is still out.”
