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"Probiotics Are Naturally Occurring, Friendly Bacteria That Live in the Human Gut." ; Probiotics and the Common Cold

Posted on: Thursday, 24 November 2005, 09:00 CST

By Dr. Rallie McAllister

If you're like most American adults, you can expect to catch a cold at least two to four times this year, and every year hereafter. The odds are a bit worse for children; a typical American child will endure six to 10 colds annually.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the upper respiratory tract infection known as the common cold is a leading cause of trips to doctors' offices and missed days from work. The CDC estimates that 22 million school days are lost annually in the United States due to colds.

More than 200 different viruses are known to produce the symptoms of the common cold. Antibiotic drugs, which thwart or kill bacterial sources of infection, are not effective in treating viral illnesses, including colds.

Taking over-the-counter decongestants, cough suppressants and fever-reducers may make you feel a little less miserable, but with or without treatment, you can count on most colds lasting about a week or two. Because there still is no cure for the common cold, prevention is especially important.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself from cold-causing germs is to wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with lots of soap and water. If you don't have immediate access to soap or a sink, using an antibacterial hand lotion or gel is a reasonable substitute for old-fashioned hand washing.

If you're determined to take your cold-fighting measures to the next level, you might want to consider adding a source of probiotics to your diet. Probiotics are naturally occurring, friendly bacteria that live in the human gut.

These microorganisms, commonly from the Lactobacillus family of bacteria, have been demonstrated to have several important benefits in terms of improving gastrointestinal health and enhancing immunity.

Although the human gastrointestinal tract is most commonly associated with the digestion of food and the absorption of dietary nutrients, it has another important function. The gut is a major part of the body's immune system, and it plays a critical role in defending us from disease-causing germs.

According to registered dietitian Pat Baird, author of "Be Good to Your Gut,""All of us have good bacteria in our gastrointestinal tracts, and these bacteria help us fight colds and other types of infections on a daily basis. Good bacteria are constantly being turned over in the body, so it is important to replenish and replace them regularly."

Baird recommends replacing the good bacteria daily with probiotics. "You can get these friendly bacteria from a number of sources, including certain types of yogurt with live and active cultures, and a cultured dairy product called kefir," she said.

"Another excellent source of probiotics," Baird noted, "is the cultured dairy drink DanActive, which contains the bacteria Lactobacillus casei Defensis. These bacteria have been clinically proven to naturally strengthen the body's immune system."

In a Swedish study of 262 working adults, those who consumed a probiotics-containing solution daily for 80 days enjoyed improved health and required 55 percent fewer sick days than workers who took a placebo. The employees receiving the probiotics solution, which contained Lactobacillus reuteri bacteria, had significantly fewer infections of the gastrointestinal system and upper respiratory tract than the workers in the placebo group.

Working adults aren't the only ones who can benefit from probiotics. In a study of kids in daycare centers, children who regularly consumed the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri had a 70 percent lower rate of absenteeism compared to children who did not ingest the friendly bacteria.

Although supplements containing probiotics are available in many health foods stores, Baird doesn't advise taking pills or powders unless you are allergic to milk products. "I recommend using food and beverage sources of probiotics whenever possible," she said.

"The FDA doesn't require specific labeling statements for dietary supplements," she noted, "so there's no way for the consumer to know if a particular supplement actually contains probiotics, and if so, what quantity. In addition, there are often no 'use by' dates on the supplement bottles, as there are on packages that contain dairy products."

Baird said that folks who are lactose intolerant may be able to consume dairy products containing probiotics without experiencing too much gastrointestinal grief. "The friendly bacteria in these products have already digested the lactose, the protein responsible for lactose intolerance," she said.

Dr. Rallie McAllister is a family physician in Kingsport, Tenn.

Source: Buffalo News

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