Probiotics for Health

The importance of the information here has been shown to be very effective for many years. At last releasing the information through mainstream media that inflammation is related to mental health is a major step forward. Brain allergy is what in orthomolecular medicine we have identified since the early days of Dr Osmond and Dr Hoffer.

Natural Mental Health What are Probiotics Yoghurt

BOost YOUR MOOD, METABOLISM AND IMMUNE HEALTH WITH BACTERIA

There’s no question about the many benefits that come with a daily dose of friendly bacteria: A high-quality probiotic supplement has long been the secret to better digestion, with research supporting its role in combating everything from occasional bloating and indigestion to gas and occasional diarrhea.¹ But what if you want to fight stress, boost your mood, sharpen your memory, support your weight and blood sugar or enhance your immune health? As it turns out, probiotics provide daily support in all of these areas.

For example, recent research on both mice and humans shows that supplementation with Bifidobacterium longum andLactobacillus strains of probiotics can help to curb anxious and hostile behavior while relieving stress and supporting healthy mood within just 30 days.² Bifidobacterium infantis, on the other hand, has been shown to support normal behavior and noradrenaline levels in animal studies—while increasing blood levels of tryptophan, a precursor to the critical mood-enhancing neurotransmitter serotonin.^3-5

Data even suggests that probiotic supplementation can strengthen memory in times of stress, suggesting that its benefits are as good for your brain as they are for your gut.⁶ But that’s not all—there’s evidence that probiotics may support weight management efforts as well.⁷

A recent investigation showed that women who received dietary counseling and supplemented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium strains during and after pregnancy had less belly fat at six months postpartum than their peers in the control group—and studies have also shown that children with higher populations of Bifidobacterium during infancy are more likely to maintain a normal weight as they grow older.^8-9 What’s more, research also suggests that Lactobacillus GG can support balanced blood sugar levels in the long term—while Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum may help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.^10-11

Even your immune system can get a boost from a daily probiotic: One study showed that supplementation with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium strains for eight weeks helped to soothe skin irritation in children, resulting in a significant 33.7 percent improvement.¹² A review of over a dozen clinical trials also found that probiotics can support the respiratory tract by reducing the production of a number of inflammatory response mediators—including immunoglobulin E and eosinophils.^13-14

The bottom line: Probiotics aren’t just for digestion anymore. An ample population of friendly bacteria is essential for total-body health, too—and daily supplementation with a comprehensive blend of the most beneficial strains is one of the easiest ways to achieve this.

References:

1. Fedorak RN, Madsen KL. Probiotics and the management of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2004 May;10(3):286-99.

2. Messaoudi M, Lalonde R, Violle N, et al. Assessment of psychotropic-like properties of a probiotic formulation ( Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175) in rats and human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2010 Oct 26:1-9. Published Online Ahead of Print.

3. Desbonnet L, Garrett L, Clarke G, et al. Effects of the probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis in the maternal separation model of depression. Neuroscience. 2010 Nov 10;170(4):1179-88.

4. Desbonnet L, Garrett L, Clarke G, et al. The probiotic Bifidobacteria infantis: An assessment of potential antidepressant properties in the rat. J Psychiatr Res. 2008 Dec;43(2):164-74.

5. Logan AC, Katzman M. Major depressive disorder: probiotics may be an adjuvant therapy. Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(3):533-8.

6. Gareau MG, Wine E, Rodrigues DM, et al. Bacterial infection causes stress-induced memory dysfunction in mice. Gut. 2010 Oct 21. Published Online Ahead of Print.

7. Diamant M, Blaak EE, de Vos WM. Do nutrient-gut-microbiota interactions play a role in human obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes? Obes Rev. 2010 Aug 13. Published Online Ahead of Print.

8. Ilmonen J, Isolauri E, Poussa T, et al. Impact of dietary counselling and probiotic intervention on maternal anthropometric measurements during and after pregnancy: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Clin Nutr. 2010 Oct 21. Published Online Ahead of Print.

9. Kalliomäki M, Collado MC, Salminen S, et al. Early differences in fecal microbiota composition in children may predict overweight. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Mar;87(3):534-8.

10. Tabuchi M, Ozaki M, Tamura A, et al. Antidiabetic effect of Lactobacillus GG in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2003 Jun;67(6):1421-4.

11. Andrade S, Borges N. Effect of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum on plasma lipids of women with normal or moderately elevated cholesterol. J Dairy Res. 2009 Nov;76(4):469-74.

12. Gerasimov SV, Vasjuta VV, Myhovych OO, et al. Probiotic supplement reduces atopic dermatitis in preschool children: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2010;11(5):351-61.

13. Vliagoftis H, Kouranos VD, Betsi GI, et al. Probiotics for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma: systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2008 Dec;101(6):570-9.

14. Feleszko W, Jaworska J, Rha RD, et al. Probiotic-induced suppression of allergic sensitization and airway inflammation is associated with an increase of T regulatory-dependent mechanisms in a murine model of asthma. Clin Exp Allergy. 2007 Apr;37(4):498-505.

Source: VRP

Immune system linked to mental illness

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Genes linked to the immune system can affect personality traits and risk of developing mental illness and suicidal behavior, researchers in Sweden say.

Petra Suchankova Karlsson of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden says in her thesis inflammation is part of the immune system and is responsible for defending humans against infection and healing of injuries.

However, the inflammatory processes also influence mechanisms in the brain involving learning and memory.

"Previous studies have shown that individuals suffering from various mental illnesses have an increased peripheral inflammation, but the reason behind this increase is not known," Suchankova Karlsson says in a statement.

"It has been suggested that the stress that goes with mental illness activates the body's immune system, but it is also possible that inflammation in the body affects the brain, which in turn results in mental illness."

Suchankova Karlsson's thesis suggests several different genes linked to the immune system are associated with healthy people's personality traits, buy it also demonstrates some genes are linked to an increased risk of schizophrenia or suicidal behavior.

"One of the things we studied was a gene variant that increases impulsiveness in people who carry it," Suchankova Karlsson says. "We found that these patients more often carried the particular gene variant when compared to the general population which meant that this variant was not only associated with increased impulsiveness in healthy individuals but also with increased risk of suicidal behavior."