Acidophilus Chewables 90s

FACTS & FALLACIES ABOUT PROBIOTICS

Human beings eat food to derive energy and nutrition for the
purpose of sustenance, growth and reproduction. In fact, this is
true for all the living systems, such as plants, microorganisms
and animals. In the case of animals (including humans), food is
partially digested in the alimentary canal, mouth and stomach and
finally in the intestine, where the partially digested food is
utimately metabolized by billions of microorganisms working
simultaneously and synergistically it has been said that there are
more bacteria in one person at one time than there are people on
this earth. Fortunately, however, less than one percent of all the
known types of microorganisms are undesirable or pathogenic.

A healthy intestine is one, which maintains a critical balance
between various groups of these bacteria such as lactobacilli,
streptococci, clostridia, coliform and bacteriodes. Any
sub-optimal or unhealthy conditions like stress, onset of disease,
ingestion of antibiotics and/or medicines, and improper food and
rest, and harmful environmental conditions may endanger this fine
balance in the intestinal flora, resulting in the reduction of the
friendly or beneficial bacteria like lactobacilli and
bifidobacteria in the gut.

For centuries the lactic acid bacteria have been used for the
preservation of food for human consumption. It has been well
documented that certain types of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria
are essential or desirable for optimal health. Metchnikoff (1) was
perhaps the first researcher, and he concluded in 1908 that the
long life span of the Balkans was due to the ingestion of large
quantities of lactobacilli and other lactic organisms through
fermented foods, which inhibit pathogens and detoxify their
system.

For nearly a hundred years research has been conducted on
lactobacillic cultures and many amazing facts about their
“probiotic” nature has been established. Probiotic refers to
those microorganisms which may prevent or reduce the effect of an
infection caused by a pathogenic organism. In fact, such probiotic
aspects have been consequently related closely to the beneficial,
nutritional and therapeutic properties of these organisms.

RESEARCH FACTS ABOUT L. ACIDOPHILUS

At the University of Nebraska research on Lactobacillus
acidophilus was started as early as 1925, over 65 years ago. For
the past 40 years, scientists headed by the author have worked on
L. acidophilus, L. bifidus (now renamed as Bifidobacterium
bifidum) and other lactic cultures and have published more than 60
scientific papers on these cultures. They have demonstrated
conclusively that there exists considerable differences among
different strains of L. acidophilus. In fact, the same strain
grown under different conditions would show different properties.
They observed that a specially isolated and cultured strain of
DDS-1 L. acidophilus grown and produced under specific conditions
has properties of great significance for digestion and nutrition
and for physiological health and disease.

The beneficial properties DDS-1 L. acidophilus based on research
documented in internationally reputable, refereed journals are as
follows:
Production of enzymes such as proteases, which help digest
proteins, and lipases, to digest fat (2,3). Production of B
vitamins, which are biocatalysts in food digestion, particularly
folic acid and B12 (4,5). Improvement of the digestibility of
food for animals (6).
Production of the natural antibiotic Acidophilin, which has been
patented, and Bulgarican has been produced from L. bulgaricus
(7,8,9).
Inhibition of the growth of 23 toxic producing microorganisms
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Help in the alleviation of lactose intolerance caused by the
deficiency of the enzyme lactase. Such L. acidophilus cultures
produce significant quantities of lactase, which may help digest
lactose more fully and thereby reduce the possibility of bad
breath, bloating, gas formation and stomach cramps (13,14).

Additional research with Lactobacilli from this laboratory as well
as by other scientists has revealed that:
L. acidophilus, by virtue of their inhibiting gastrointestinal-
and uro-pathogens, may help reduce the occurrence of diarrhea
and urinary & vaginal infection (15,16, 17).
.
L. acidophilus my help maintain normal serum cholesterol levels (18,10).
L. acidophilus helps alleviate dermatitis and other skin
disorders by modifying and improving gastrointestinal microbial
balance (21).
L. acidophilus Aids in the production and/or augmentation of
immune bodies and their functions (22,23,24,25).

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA OF FACTUALLY BENEFICIAL ACIDOPHILUS

To assure that L. acidophilus possess these nutritional and
therapeutic properties, it must implant and multiply rapidly in
the gut to avoid its being expunged entirely. Hence for gut
inhabitation L. acidophilus must not only be able to tolerate and
pass through the high stomach activity (low pH), but also be able
to grow and proliferate at physiological levels of bile salts and
adhere to the intestinal epithelial cells.

L. acidophilus strains are known to differ tremendously in their
ability to grow in the presence of bile salts. Bile salts,
produced by the gall bladder, are essential in helping to emulsify
fat before it can be digested in the intestine (16). DDS-1 L.
acidophilus has been reported to be highly resistant to several
commonly known antibiotics like penicillin, streptomycin,
aureomycin, etc. Such antibiotic resistance of DDS-1 L.
acidophilus is of paramount importance because it can be taken
while or soon after an individual has been on antibiotic therapy.
Common antibiotic therapy not only kills the pathogenic bacteria
but also kills “friendly bacteria” like lactobacilli and
streptococci and may upset gastrointestinal microbial balance.
DDS-1 L. acidophilus may thus help in restoring the optimal
microbial balance in the gut.

FALLACIES ABOUT ACIDOPHILUS PRODUCTS

The literature is replete with studies concerning the beneficial
role of lactobacilli in general and L. acidophilus in particular.
Nevertheless, there exist numerous reports indicating divergent,
and sometimes, conflicting observations. It has been established
that such conflicting results may very well be due to the
different strains used, different methods of manufacture or
propagation employed, and of course, due to the different
techniques used by different scientists. As indicated earlier even
the same strain grown under different conditions may have
different properties (26). Similarly, DDS-1 L. acidophilus
Manufactured by methods other than those used in the research of
Shahani may have different characteristics and properties.

Consequently, all L. acidophilus products on the market are not
alike. Some cannot even survive human stomach fluids. Many
products contain extremely low levels of living and stable L.
acidophilus cells. Some manufacturers give numbers of live cells
at the time of formulation, packaging, or bottling, but after
manufacturing and storage the number of live cells can drop to
almost zero.

During the past 20 years or so, as a part of our ongoing research
program on probiotics at the University of Nebraska, more than 155
acidophilus products collected from U.S.A. and abroad were
examined and enumerated (Table 1). Almost 70 to 80% of the samples
did not measure up to numerical claims, and in fact, nearly 50% of
the samples did not have even 10% of the claimed number of live
microorganisms. For example, if the product was supposed to have 5
billion/gm, it might not have even 500 million/gm. More than 40 to
50% of the product had more than one species of acidophilus.
Several products even had microorganisms belonging to a genus
other than Lactobacillus. For example, in addition to L.
acidophilus they had Streptococcus lactis. Several of the samples
even had undesirable or pathogenic organisms present. These are
not only our observations; at least two or three papers in
scientific journals authored by very renowned microbiologists have
reported essentially similar results (27,28). Also, almost all
acidophilus products carry promotional material with similar
claims without any literature identifying the research work and
where it was published, or whether it was published in any
peer-reviewed reputable journal.

Some of the acidophilus products contain Lactobacillus lactis var
rhamnosus (or L. rhamnosus). Although rhamnosus has been reported
to be a normal resident of the human gastointestinal tract, little
scientific information is available concerning its nutritional
importance. Although L. bulgaricus, another food supplement on the
market, and one of the two microorganisms (the other being
Streptococcus thermophilus) used in the manufacture of yogurt, is
considered to be beneficial to the human organism, further
research on it should be done. In order for any microorganism to
continue to play any beneficial role beyond the period of time of
its actual ingestion, it has to implant itself so that it can
continue to multiply in the intestinal wall, like L. acidophilus.
There appears to be some controversy about the implantation of L.
bulgaricus in the human body.

Lately, another probiotic product from Germany claimed to have
been derived from E. coli or coliform has appeared on the market.
Coliform bacteria have been considered rather undesirable
microorganisms, and how such organisms, or an extract thereof, can
be beneficial has not been demonstrated. More recent products,
such as Microflora, Neoflora or Superflora reportedly contain
Bacillus laterosporus, Bacillus sphaericus, some amino acids, some
electrolyte salts and vitamins. While amino acids, vitamins and
electrolytes may play a nutritional role, it is difficult to see
any benefits from B. laterosporus or sphaericus, and there exists
no scientific information to that effect. Even the Bergey’s Manual
(which is considered to be the Microbiologist’ “Bible”) does not
show that these two organisms possess any nutritional value. In
actuality they may be dangerous or prove to be harmful under
certain conditions.

Following any antibiotic therapy or use, the number of beneficial
or desirable gastrointestinal microflora (such as acidophilus or
bifidobacteria) goes down and ratio of the undesirable to
desirable bacteria goes up. This is because the desirable bacteria
like acidophilus and bifidobacteria, being Gram +ve, are more
severely killed by most of the commonly used antibiotics. It is at
this time that supplements of desirable bacteria are most needed.
If, instead of taking supplementary bacteria that have been proven
to be desirable, one takes supplements of bacteria of unproven
benefit, one may be actually helping the undesirable organisms to
continue their predominance.

PROCESSING OF FREEZE DRIED DDS-1 L. ACIDOPHILUS

DDS-1 L. acidophilus is manufactured by an exclusive, unique
process involving growth in a well defined and highly nourishing
medium for this special strain. In the manufacturing process the
microorganisms are concentrated first by removing unspent liquid
medium by sedimentation, ultra filtration, reverse osmosis, and/or
centrifugation. To the intact cell concentrate is then added a
definite cryoprotectant before freezing to prevent “freezer
damage” to the bacteria (29).

Following freezing, the mass is freeze-dried in a specially
designed unit. The final product is then subjected to fine
screening and quality control involving at least 15 to 20 tests.
When the product passes all the rigorous tests, it is then mixed
with a natural stabilizer to prevent the loss of its viability
during packaging, shipping, storage, marketing and consumption. As
far as is known, the visibility of the cells is not damaged at all
during sedimentation, ultra filtration, reverse osmosis or
centrifugation, unless the processing equipment is faulty and/or
the processor is not properly trained.

STABILITY

DDS-1 L. acidophilus is highly stable even under adverse
conditions of manufacture and storage. Normally, microorganisms
such as L. acidophilus are affected adversely by heat, moisture or
humidity, light and air. The unique process of manufacturing DDS-1
coupled with the addition of a suitable cryoprotectant and
specially designed natural stabilizer protect the microorganisms
against moisture, light, heat and oxygen (from air), providing a
stability unsurpassed as far as is known.