Home   >   Nutrition   >   The Beneficial Effects Of Probiotics On Digestive Tract Diseases

The Beneficial Effects Of Probiotics On Digestive Tract Diseases

By on October 19, 2012

Probiotics are forms of living bacteria cultures that are very similar to those found in some areas of the intestines, in healthy individuals.  When the normal balance of intestinal components is disturbed, many pathological conditions may develop.  Supplements that contain probiotics can help reestablish the normal conditions in the intestines or stomach, eliminating some unhealthy symptoms like diarrhea.

The use of probiotics to stop diarrhea

One of the many beneficial effects that probiotics can have on the digestive tract is preventing and treating diarrhea successfully.  So far, diarrhea has been treated with conventional types of medication that would only suppress symptoms without eliminating the cause. Probiotics stimulate the development of healthy intestine bacteria and allow the digestion process to take place normally.

By taking a supplement that contains living or dried bacteria, the patient’s intestinal micro flora is restored to normal.

Probiotics compete with pathogenic bacteria and viruses for the free spots that can bind them to the cells. This causes the bacteria to have no free space to settle in, thus not being able to further develop. Slowly, because it is no longer replicating the unhealthy bacteria will either be killed or evacuated, and won’t be able to produce any harm.

Probiotics also have the effect of instantly inhibiting bacteria by producing “bacteriocins”- substances that can kill pathological bacteria.

Probiotic microorganisms can produce an increase in the gut barrier function, decrease the level of pathogen infection, and help in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis (normal, healthy state of the intestines) as well as modulation of immune properties.

There are several types of diarrhea that can be eliminated with the help of probiotics:

Acute diarrhea – usually caused by rotavirus.

Rotavirus infections are very serious, and can cause severe episodes of diarrhea and vomiting; it is an important cause of death especially among children.

Current evidence shows that probiotics shorten the period of acute diarrhea, and lower the severity of symptoms, ultimately leading to its cure. Administration of Lactobacillus has reduced the diarrheal phase in hospitalized children with a few days, having a positive effect on their recovery. Also, the children that had received Lactobacillus during treatment showed a better response to vaccination against rotavirus.

There are a series of probiotic agent that have been proven so far to have effect over the duration of diarrheal episodes; the most important are: Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus- especially the Bifidobacterium type, L. casei, L. reuteri, L. lactis, and many others.

Infectious diarrhea

The best results in treating diarrhea with probiotics have appeared with young children who suffered from bacterial or viral infections. Lactobacillus rhamnosus has been the most effective strain of probiotic agents in treating infectious diarrhea caused by rotavirus, but not in the treatment of other forms of diarrhea.

The average effect on treating this type of condition has been moderate, because it can take some time before the healthy bacteria can breed in the intestines and start inhibiting the pathological processes.  The process is also influenced by the dose of probiotics and by how early it is administered.

It is advisable that the probiotic agent is administered as soon as the first symptoms ascend, because it is harder to treat once the unhealthy bacteria have fully developed.

Diarrhea caused by antibiotics

A very often side effect of antibiotics is the fact that they can cause the normal and healthy bacteria to die along with the pathogenic ones for which the treatment has been initiated. This often results in an unbalanced level of good bacteria that is useful in digesting food; thus having the intestines not process food properly and leading to diarrhea.

Almost 30% of the patients that undergo treatment with antibiotics will suffer from diarrhea at some point; this has often causes them to give up the treatment and it is not desirable for the patient’s health. Administering probiotics along with antibiotics gives the patient the chance to finish his treatment successfully and without unpleasant symptoms. It lowers the risk of developing diarrhea with up to 40%.

Here is where probiotics can come into play, and provide the organism with healthy bacteria in order to restore the normal balance. Probiotics will inhibit the growth of unhealthy bacteria by releasing some substances that inhibit their growth; this property has been proven in “in vitro” studies.

Lactobacillus, present in some probiotic supplements, has a very good therapeutic effect on patients who have suffered from recurrent infections with Clostridium difficile (bacteria that causes severe abdominal pain and diarrhea).

Diarrhea in patients with compromised immune system

Patients that are undergoing chemo- and radiotherapy often suffer from important disturbances of their immune system and have indigenous intestinal micro flora that is accompanied by diarrhea. An increased count of Candida albicans cells in the GI tract and other organs leads to developing candidiasis. The side effects can be ameliorated by administering probiotic bacteria before and during chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

It is possible for probiotics consumption to offer beneficial effects to HIV patients, although it has not been proven up to now; it has been shown that probiotic products are well tolerated by these patients.

Even though results of some studies indicate that probiotics can be effective in the prevention of diarrhea caused by radiation treatment, there is not enough evidence from clinical trials to allow recommendation of prophylactic or therapeutic use of probiotics in immune-compromised subjects.

Traveler’s diarrhea

Often affects approximately 25-50% of people who are travelling to tropical countries.  Administration of supplements containing Lactobacillus can successfully treat this condition, and even prevent it, if they are taken a few days before travelling.

Probiotic supplements have a variety of effects that include: stopping diarrhea or constipation, preventing the development of intestinal parasites or fungus, stimulating the absorption of nutrients and vitamins, stopping unpleasant side effects of antibiotics, and stimulating the immune system.

The antidiarrheal effect is the most important practical use of these types of supplements, because it can eliminate diarrhea and any unpleasant symptoms that accompany it in a very natural and non-toxic way. Because the healthy bacteria contained in these products are also found in an average person’s intestinal environment, probiotics are recommended and safe to use.