Lactobacillus Bulgaricus

See also : probiotics
Lactobacillus bulgaricus is found mainly in Swiss cheese, fermented milk and yogurt and is available as a dietary supplement. L. bulgaricus is used primarily as a starter culture to help other bacteria grow in the cheese- and yogurt-making process. Termed a probiotic because it is not a natural bacteria found in your gut, this strain of lactobacillus has health benefits not found in other probiotics.

Benefits and uses of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus are

L. bulgaricus is one of the few bacteria that can withstand the digestive process and provide protection while establishing colonies in your intestines. This probiotic also helps other probiotic bacteria colonize the digestive tract. At the same time, L. bulgaricus has an ability to keep bad bacteria from attaching to the intestines and producing toxins that can lead to illness. In addition to removing toxins, L. bulgaricus produces antibiotics that have an immuno-boosting effect, according to Probiotics.org, a website devoted to probiotic research.

• Providing Protection : The protection provided by this probiotic is the ability to change the pH of the intestine. The harmful bacteria seem unable to survive in the acidic environment. In addition, L. bulgaricus has the ability to produce antibiotics. According to Probiotic.org, it shuttles harmful bacteria and toxins from the intestinal wall. The intestinal wall is a key entry point, and having L. bulgaricus there helps to prevent food-borne illnesses.
• Digestion Aid : Bacteria in yogurt seem to present a self-digestible form of milk sugar that allows people with lactose intolerance to handle milk sugars. Milk sugar digestibility improves with yogurt consumption, according to the scientific survey "Yoghurts & Fermented Milks." L. bulgaricus facilitates digestion of lactose (milk sugar) because it delivers lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose in the intestines. Therefore, if you are lactase-deficient, take an L. bulgaricus supplement or eat fermented yogurt to receive this benefit.
• L. bulgaricus also guards and protects the delicate mucous lining of your intestine against harmful bacteria. That means less gas – so you can enjoy your favorite foods again!
• Lactose Intolerance Management : If, like a lot of people, you're lactose intolerant, you experience abdominal discomfort and gas after consuming foods that contain milk sugar, or lactose. This results due to an inability to produce beta-galactosidase, an enzyme found only in people of northern European descent. In a study published in January 2006 in the "World Journal of Gastroenterology, " Dr. Massimo Montalto of the department of internal medicine of the Catholic University in Rome explains that Lactobacillus bulgaricus is able to break down lactose using to its own beta-galactosidase supply. This bacterial beta-galactosidase activity is thought to be the reason that in many cases, people who are lactose intolerant are able to digest yogurt with no resultant symptoms.
• Diarrhea Prevention : Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria that cause disease, but unfortunately they are unable to distinguish between good and bad bacteria. As a result, the natural floras of the gastrointestinal tract are sometimes depleted during a course of antibiotic therapy. This leads to a condition known as antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Lactobacillus bulgaricus is one of several probiotic species that can significantly decrease a patient's risk of developing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. MedlinePlus states that a drink containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus, consumed twice daily, decreased incidence of antibiotic associated diarrhea in hospitalized adults.