A myth that lactobacilli are required - busted

[Guest guest]

This is a marketing myth; the research neither corroborates that 13

strains of lactobacilli are required in a healthy bowel and probiotic

program, nor indeed, that lactobacilli are required at all.

I realize that popular opinion favours lactobacillus adidophilus and

other lactobacilli but it shouldn't be that way; the research points

out that a healthy infant colon can contain 95% bifidobacteria. The

so-called " essential " 13 strains of lactobacilli wouldn't do much at

only 5% of the total, so nobody but a marketer could call them

essential.

As we've discussed previously, we've known a better alternative for

some time: " ...it has now become clear that bifidobacteria also

constitute one of the major organisms in the colonic flora of healthy

children and adults (Mitsuoka, 1990b) " .

I don't think I have to belabour the point save to link this graph

http://members.shaw.ca/duncancrow/fig5.GIF that was compiled from the

research, (from Tungland's Comprehensive Scientific Review in the

inulin references) that shows that even though lactobacilli numbers

rise in the elderly bowel, so do the pathogens. Obviously the

lactobacilli are not a particularly good probiotic in any case even

at those higher numbers, which also means lacobacilli supplements

themselves are only marginally useful at best.

In any case, most lactobacilli don't produce butyrate, the main food

for the cells of the bowel lining to grow on and heal leaky gut

syndrome. Butyrate production is a property of bifidobacteria;

lactobacilli produce carbon dioxide gas.

If you take probiotics at all, make sure they contain a few strains

of bifidobacteria. And feed them inulin.

Another myth busted and used as a fiber source

Duncan

[Guest guest]

Duncan,

I have tried to take inulin on two occasions. I got a bad vaginal itch both

times that I just could not get rid of, trying all remedies recommended. I

finally had to use Nystatin, in a paste, on the area. Within a day it went

away. It seems to be that inulin is not appropriate for those with extensive

yeast infections. Or is there a time when it is appropriate?

[Guest guest]

, Perhaps you could suppress the itch and persist with the

program, or just switch to inulin with no natural sugar or FOS in it.

I'm sorry it didn't work for you in natural form, but pleased that

the references and other peoples' experience are that it helps, not

hinders, bowel dysbiosis.

Duncan

>

> Duncan,

>

> I have tried to take inulin on two occasions. I got a bad vaginal

itch both times that I just could not get rid of, trying all remedies

recommended. I finally had to use Nystatin, in a paste, on the

area. Within a day it went away. It seems to be that inulin is not

appropriate for those with extensive yeast infections. Or is there a

time when it is appropriate?

>

>

>