Institute
of Nutrition Education and Research
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Manhattan Beach, California 90266
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Questions & Answers
IS YOUR ACIDOPHILUS ALIVE AND WELL? HOW TO TELL...
Dear B.P.:Dr. Klaper,I've been told to consume acidophilus bacteria after taking antibiotics. What is the best kind of acidophilus and how do I know if the bacteria I have purchased are really alive?
--B.P.
Keeping the resident population of bacteria in the intestinal tract healthy is essential, especially after taking a course of antibiotics. A population of “friendly” bacteria is required not only for the health of the intestines, but also to inhibit overgrowth with yeast and “unfriendly,” pathogenic bacteria. Normal bacteria flora also help to prevent increased intestinal permeability (“leaky-gut syndrome”), which can lead to joint inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Consequently, ingesting a preparation containing health-enhancing bacteria is often a very good idea.
The most health-promoting organisms in our intestines are the family of Lactobacillus bacteria, especially Lactobacillus acidophilus, along with its friendly cousins, L. plantarum, L. salivarius, L. bulgaricus, L. casei, L. bifidus, and others. (Although not scientifically quite accurate, through popular usage, the Lactobacillus acidophilus has come to be known as “acidophilus.”)
It is very important to be sure that the acidophilus product you are paying for and ingesting really contains live, beneficial bacteria.
You can determine the "vitality" of your acidophilus product with a simple kitchen “experiment.” Start by pouring one cup of soy milk (cow’s milk will also work) into each of two small bowls and then stirring in one teaspoon of acidophilus powder (or the contents of 4-6 “Vegicaps”) into one of the bowls. Allow both bowls to sit out at room temperature overnight. When you examine the bowls in the morning, the milky contents should not look the same. Since Lactobacillus acidophilus is the bacteria that curdles milk, there should be signs of bacterial activity in the bowl containing the acidophilus - lumps of curdled soymilk, a film of yogurt, bubbles of carbon dioxide, etc. When you pour both bowls down the sink, if the physical characteristics of the white liquids appear to be the same, you have non-viable product and should get a fresh supply (or your money back).
Acidophilus is best consumed before meals. The rationale for this is because you want to have as many live bacteria as possible pass through the stomach into the small intestine. Therefore, it is wise to ingest the acidophilus prior to eating, before the stomach fills up with hydrochloric acid, which would kill most of the beneficial organisms.
Since modern life - with its steady stream of chlorinated drinking water, alcoholic beverages, antibiotic-laced foods, etc. - seems to be an intensive assault on our normal intestinal flora, everyone could probably benefit from a “freshening up” of their intestinal bacteria with a brief one to two-week course of acidophilus, several times per year. Certainly, after a course of medically-prescribed antibiotic therapy, the healthy balance of bacteria should be re-created in the intestine by consuming an acidophilus preparation for two to four weeks after the last dose of antibiotics has been taken.
Products containing “mixed strain” acidophilus - with many Lactobacillus acidophilus species, along with “pro-biotic” substances like fructooligosaccharides (F.O.S.) to promote the healthy growth of the bacteria in the intestinal tract - are preferred. (If you have colitis, Crohn’s disease, or other condition involving inflammation of the intestinal tract, you should purchase acidophilus without F.O.S.)
If there is any question, test the viability of the acidophilus using the method described above. Try to consume all of the product within a few weeks of purchase, so that it does not lose its potency in the refrigerator or on the shelf.