What are Probiotics?

• Probiotics are fermented food products with a long history in traditional societies. Turkey and Bulgaria have been credited with introducing us to yogurt. Germany has been credited for introducing us to sauerkraut, Japan receives credit for miso, while Korea is known for kimchi. The need by various cultures for food preservation is what created these fermented food products. A by-product of the fermentation process is lactobacilli. Lactobacilli have many additional health benefits for the consumer. A common form of probiotic bacteria is Lactobacillus acidophilus.
  
  

Probiotics in Food Form

• The most common food source of probiotics in the American diet is yogurt. Yogurt is made by adding helpful bacteria to milk and allowing it to ferment. We sometimes eat sauerkraut when we eat hot dogs or frankfurters. Sauerkraut is made from shredded cabbage and salt that is allowed to ferment. Miso is made from fermented soybean paste; miso soup is often eaten in Japanese restaurants. Kimchi, an ancient Korean staple, comes in over 200 different varieties; the most popular form of kimchi is made from bok choy, also known as Chinese cabbage.
  
  

Probiotics in Supplement Form

• Probiotics come is a wide range of dietary supplement formulations from liquids to powders, and from encapsulated beads to enteric-coated capsules. A general purpose probiotic supplement combines several beneficial or 'good' bacteria that contain competitive yeast. They usually contain Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacteria in the billions.
  
  

Benefits of Probiotics

• Probiotics have been shown to prevent and treat arthritis, liver damage, ear infections, urinary tract infections, throat infections, and various gastrointestinal disorders. These beneficial organisms work by boosting the body's immune function and quenching inflammation. According to Dr. Maoshing Ni of Yo San University, in Los Angeles, probiotics will restore the healthy organisms needed to digest food and inhibit the growth of H. Pylori, the microbe responsible for up to 90 percent of stomach ulcers.
  
  

Expert Opinions

• Research at the Mayo Clinic has found that probiotic supplements can ease side effects from treatments with antibiotics. Research has also shown probiotics to be helpful in managing diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and cirrhosis of the liver. One study found that employees taking probiotics missed less work due to illness than did employees who did not take probiotics.