Lactobacillus
We mostly don't get sick. Most often, bacteria are keeping us well - Bonnie Bassler
image by: Crismas Drogaria Manipulação Ortopédicos - Farmácia Integrada
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Lactobacillus - the ‘pioneer’ of probiotics?
The bacterium most often used in probiotics is the Lactobacillus. There are several reasons for its popularity.
Firstly, lactobacilli are found naturally in the human microflora. They are particularly common in the small bowel. Lactobacilli grow in atmospheres free of oxygen or containing small amounts of oxygen. The oxygen present in the small bowel is gradually exhausted by aerobic (oxygen-using) bacteria, only small amounts remain in the terminal ileum (the last part of the small intestine), and this is where most lactobacilli are found.
Lactobacilli feed almost exclusively on sugars, of which there are plenty in the intestine. They are however quite ‘fussy eaters’, in that…
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Why is Lactobacillus so important for human health?
These microbes are VIP members of a happy and balanced gut microbiome — that’s why you’ve probably seen them advertised on probiotic yoghurt pots and kefir bottles. You might also know them under a different name: Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB). However, you can be forgiven for not entirely knowing what they really do or even how they work...
The Millions Of Bacteria On Apples May Be A Key To Their Health Benefits
And interestingly, while organic and conventionally grown apples harbored about the same numbers of bacteria, the composition of bacteria differed. Organic apples contained a more diverse array of bacteria, and a greater number of the beneficial ones, like Lactobacillus, which are plentiful in yogurt and often used in probiotic supplements.
Yogurts That Contain Lactobacillus Acidophilus
Lactobacillus acidophilus, or L. acidophilus, is the most commonly used probiotic, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It is especially beneficial for intestinal health because it breaks down foods to create substances such as lactic acid. This creates an environment that is not suitable for harmful bacteria. L. acidophilus is also beneficial for regular digestion, constipation, lactose intolerance symptoms and enhanced immunity. Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are two bacterial cultures seen in most yogurts on the market. Some also include L. acidophilus.
A Special Fondness for Lactobacilli
Probiotic products, many of which contain lactobacilli, are actively promoted by the dairy, food, and “self-care health” industries and have been accepted uncritically by food scientists as well as the general public. However, claims of the efficacy of probiotics in relation to human health benefits do not result from rigorous, unbiased evaluations such as would be required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for pharmaceutical products
An Omnivore's Dilemma: Would You Eat Michael Pollan Microbe Cheese?
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At Last, I Meet My Microbes
And until we know more about these mysterious microbes, perhaps we should sit back and marvel at the jungles of life that we really are. And do our best to keep our beneficial beasties happy.
Don’t douche, and other lessons about the vaginal microbiome
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Germs That Could Save Your Sight
Probiotics, specifically Lactobacillus, have been shown to fight Salmonella at every stage of its attack. They can prevent the bacterium from getting anywhere near the intestinal lining; help to control the immune system's reaction to infection to ensure that the intruder is killed; and they even have the ability to kill the invaders with their own superpowered weapons known as antimicrobial compounds.
The benefits of probiotics bacteria
In a society of anti-bacterial warfare, who would have thought that anyone would tout the benefits of bacteria? Living microorganisms found in yogurt and other cultured foods may help improve your body's bacterial environment inside and out. They're called probiotics, a name that means "for life."
The Crazy Thing Meat Does To Your Belly
It's official: You are what you eat. As scientists learn more about your stomach’s microbiome—the accumulated bacteria and other living organisms that inhabit the lining of your gut—that statement has never been more true.
The Latest Weapon In The Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance Lives In The Vagina
Researchers have traveled to the ends of the earth in search of exotic microorganisms that can produce the medicine we need to live and thrive. But as a new study points out, we may have overlooked an extremely rich source of drugs that was right under our noses: bacteria in and on the human body.
The Way You're Born Can Mess With the Microbes You Need to Survive
Many physiological and pathological features of pregnancy are controlled, at least in part, by the mother’s resident microbes, which evolved to help her and themselves.
Yogurt, Breakfast of Champions?
The probiotics found in yogurt seem to have positive effects beyond weight control, too—at least where mice are concerned.
Lactobacillus - the ‘pioneer’ of probiotics?
The bacterium most often used in probiotics is the Lactobacillus. There are several reasons for its popularity.
5 Reasons To Make Sourdough Your Only Bread
Sourdough is a dough containing a Lactobacillus culture, usually in symbiotic combination with yeasts. However, the lactobacillus is much greater in proportion to the yeast. In comparison with yeast-based breads, sourdough produces a distinctively tangy or sour taste, mainly because of the lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli.
MayoClinic
L. acidophilus is commonly used in food, such as yogurt, other dairy products, and fermented soy products, such as miso and tempeh. L. acidophilus is one of the most commonly used probiotics, microorganisms that are used to promote health.
MedicineNet
Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for... Urinary tract infections (UTIs), general digestion problems, yeast infections, high cholesterol, Lyme disease, hives, fever blisters, canker sores, acne, cancer, stimulating the immune system, and other conditions.
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