From: unk...@googlegroups.com   
      
   ANTI-biotics or PRO-biotics, miracle drug or poison ? page 2.    
      
      
      
   Probiotics !    
   The Friendly Bacteria    
      
   Inside each of us live vast numbers of bacteria without which we could not   
   remain in good health. Before looking at the amazing things they do, reflect   
   on just how many of them we house.    
      
   There are several thousand billion in each person (more than all the cells in   
   the body) divided into four hundred species, most of them living in the   
   digestive tract. If they were all placed together the total weight of this   
   "friendly" bacteria would    
   come to nearly four pounds and, in fact, about a third of the fecal matter   
   (water removed) which you pass consists of dead or viable bacteria.    
      
   The Role of Friendly Bacteria in Health.    
      
   These bacteria are not parasites. They do not just take up residence and do   
   nothing in return, but perform many important functions in the body. We live   
   in true symbiosis with them. As long as we provide them with a reasonable diet   
   and as long as they    
   remain in good health, these bacteria provide excellent service in return.    
      
   However, not all of the friendly bacteria perform the same functions, some   
   being far more useful and plentiful than others. These are the ones presented   
   here. Certain bacteria help to maintain good health while others have a   
   definite value in helping us    
   regain health once it has been upset.    
      
   These dual protective and therapeutic roles help explain why the word   
   "probiotics" was coined since it means "for life" :    
      
      
      
   They manufacture some of the B Vitamins including niacin (B3), pyridoxine   
   (B6), folic acid, and biotin.    
   They manufacture the milk-digesting enzyme lactase which helps digest dairy   
   products    
   They actively produce antibacterial substances which kill or deactivate   
   hostile disease-causing bacteria. They do this by changing the local levels of   
   acidity, by depriving pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria of their   
   nutrients, or by actually    
   producing their own antibiotic substances which can kill invading bacteria,   
   viruses, and yeasts. Naturally enough they are doing this to preserve "their"   
   territory.    
   Some bacteria (such as bifidobacteria and acidophilus) have been shown to have   
   powerful anticarcinogenic features which are active against certain tumors.    
   They improve the efficiency of the digestive tract - when they are weakened,   
   bowel function is poor.    
   The effectively help to reduce high cholesterol levels    
   They play an important part of the development of a baby's digestive function   
   and immune system. Bifidobacteria infantis is aquired from breast milk. When   
   it is in poor supply allergies and malabsorption problems are more common.    
   They help protect against radiation damage and deactivate many toxic   
   pollutants.    
   They help to recycle estrogen (a female hormone) which reduces the likelihood   
   of menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis    
   Therapeutically they have been shown to be useful in the treatment of acne,   
   psoriasis, eczema, allergies, migraine, gout (by reducing uric acid levels),   
   rheumatic and arthritic conditions, cystitis, candidiasis, colitis, irritable   
   bowel syndrome, and    
   some forms of cancer.    
   Types of Friendly Bacteria    
      
   Of the friendly bacteria which help the human body most are the residents,   
   while the others are transient visitors, staying in your digestive tract for a   
   few weeks before passing on. The principle forms of friendly bacteria are :    
      
   Lactobacillus Acidophilus    
      
   This is the main inhabitant of the small intestine in humans and animals. It   
   is also found in the mouth and vagina. Acidophilus manufactures lactase to   
   digest milk sugar and produces lactic acid which suppresses undesirable   
   bacteria and yeasts. Some    
   strains produce natural antibiotics. They also lower cholesterol levels and   
   kill candida yeasts, and are very susceptible to poor diet and stress   
   conditions, pollution, and antibiotics such as penicillin.    
      
   Lactobacillus Bulgaricus    
      
   This is a transient but very important bacteria. Together with Streptococcus   
   thermophilus it makes yogurt. Some strains of bulgaricus and thermophilus also   
   produce antibiotics which kill harmful bacteria. By manufacturing lactic acid   
   these bacteria    
   encourage a good environment for the resident bacteria such as acidophilus and   
   the bifidobacteria.    
      
   Bifidobacterium Bifidum and Bifidobacteriumlongum    
      
   These are the main inhabitants of the large intestine. Bifidobacterium Bifidum   
   is also found in the vagina and the lower part of the small intestine. In   
   breastfed infants and adolescents these make up 99% of the entire flora of the   
   bowel. There is strong    
   evidence that the numbers and efficient working of these bacteria decline as a   
   person ages and with any decline in our health status.    
      
   The bacteria produce a number of specialized acids and use these to prevent   
   colonization of the large intestine by invading bacteria, yeasts and some   
   viruses. They also prevent potential toxicity from nitrites in food and   
   manufacture B Vitamins as well    
   as helping detoxify bile from which they recycle estrogen in women.    
      
   Bifidobacteria Infantis    
      
   This is the main inhabitant of every infant's intestines and is found in small   
   amounts in the vagina. It's functions are very much the same as the other   
   bifidobacteria. In a freeze-dried form it is the only probiotic product which   
   should be supplemented    
   to infants without professional guidance.    
      
   What Damages the Friendly Bacteria ?    
      
   Many factors influence just how healthy the flora are. While the type of   
   friendly bacteria living in a region may seem much the same in health and   
   disease, the tasks they perform change according to circumstances. For   
   example, when bifidobacteria are in    
   a good state of health they will detoxify pollutants and carcinogens as well   
   as manufacture various B Vitamins. When in a poor state of health, however,   
   they just cannot do these jobs as well or at all.    
      
   What Makes Friendly Bacteria Function Less Efficiently ?    
      
   The level of local acidity is one major influence upon the function of the   
   friendly bacteria and this is contributed to by diet, digestive function, and   
   stress. Another important influence is the speed of peristalsis (the wavelike   
   contraction of the    
   intestines) which moves food along the digestive tract. If it is too rapid (as   
   in diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, or colitis) this severely reduces the   
   efficiency of the flora. If it is too slow (as in atonic or spastic   
   constipation) this too causes    
   changes in their function.    
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)