Oral cavities are swarming with microbes—some beneficial and some harmful. In the latter group is the notorious salivary mutans streptococcus (S. mutans). This bacterium causes dental caries or cavities. With healthy diets, regular check-ups, cleanings, flossing and fluoride treatments, we try to safeguard our teeth. Probiotics may offer additional protection. Probiotics and dental caries Probiotics […]
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Probiotics and Diet Fight Dysbiosis in Obesity
As a new year begins, resolutions to shed the added weight from holiday feasting are de rigeur. New avenues of accomplishing those goals are growing. Obesity and Aging For example, much research points to the gut microbiota as a key element in metabolic disorders such as obesity. Statistics on obesity rates are dismal: obesity is […]
Pharmacists Talk Probiotics
Pharmacists dispense more than prescription drugs. They also dole out recommendations on dietary supplements including probiotics. As a group, these front-line healthcare specialists have a powerful voice when it comes to what is known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), a category separate from conventional types. A recent survey explored what pharmacists had to say […]
Probiotics Plus Meds Impact IBS
As probiotics move into mainstream healthcare, typical first-line drug treatments are being questioned. But old habits die hard in the juggernaut that is the medical-pharmaceutical complex. One particular disorder appears ripe for disruption. The role of gut microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is amassing evidence-based research attesting to its importance. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) […]
Probiotics Tested in Marathon Runners
Tales of gut woes for long-distance runners are well-documented. Runners sometimes cross a finish line only to vomit or collapse onto a stretcher. The usual reason? Excess heat—caused either by outside temperatures or the metabolic fire within—stresses the body, blunting performance. Heat-stressed athletes often endure what is termed “leaky gut”, a condition where the intestinal […]
Dr. Erika Isolauri Talks Child Health at Harvard Probiotics Symposium
“For child health, I have learned, the mother is the person to treat. The healthier the mother, the better the child’s well-being.” Dr. Erika Isolauri, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics at University of Turku has researched the microbiota from her lab in Finland for long enough to earn the soundbite. With over 440 scientific publications […]