Probiotic benefits receive boost from studies.A probiotic pro·bi·ot·ic n. A dietary supplement containing live bacteria or yeast that supplements normal gastrointestinal flora, given especially after depletion of flora caused by infection or ingestion of an antibiotic drug. supplement can stimulate the immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. and improve nutrient absorption. Those are the findings of two separate animal studies recently conducted by USDA-ARS USDA-ARS United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service scientists. As you know, probiotics Probiotics Bacteria that are beneficial to a person's health, either through protecting the body against pathogenic bacteria or assisting in recovery from an illness. Mentioned in: Colonic Irrigation, Dysentery, Gastroenteritis are living microorganisms that, when added to foods or dietary supplements in sufficient numbers, can benefit our health in a variety of ways. ARS scientists are using the pig as an experimental model to study the beneficial effects of probiotics. They tested the effect of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium lactis (Bb 12 from Chr. Hansen Chr. Hansen is a Danish food production company. They sell a wide variety of pharmaceutical grade exipients. The group employs approximately 2,500 employees in more than 30 countries and reported revenue of EUR 521m (DKK 3.77m DKK)in 2005/06. Chr. , Horsholm, Denmark) on the maturation and stimulation of the immune systems of piglets. Bb 12 is a beneficial bacterial strain commonly used in probiotic products and in baby products. In the first study, Bb 12 was fed to three pregnant sows, while a placebo treatment was fed to three pregnant control sows. The scientists then fed the same Bb 12 treatment to half of each sow's litters, resulting in four experimental groups. Researchers studied gene expression patterns in tissue taken from each animal's lymph nodes Lymph nodes Small, bean-shaped masses of tissue scattered along the lymphatic system that act as filters and immune monitors, removing fluids, bacteria, or cancer cells that travel through the lymph system. , liver, spleen spleen, soft, purplish-red organ that lies under the diaphragm on the left side of the abdominal cavity. The spleen acts as a filter against foreign organisms that infect the bloodstream, and also filters out old red blood cells from the bloodstream and decomposes and intestine. They also examined the animals' intestinal contents. The scientists used a molecular technique to analyze 46 biomarkers to document the activity of immune- and nutrition-related genes. They compared gene-expression patterns in the treated pigs with those of the control pigs. The probiotic was found to induce innate immune activity in the colon where the probiotic was in its highest concentration. In a separate study, half of a group of test pigs was treated with the Bb 12 probiotic before all of the pigs were exposed to a worm infection. The researchers compared the response to the infection of the group of pigs that received the probiotic treatment with the response of those that did not receive the treatment. Preliminary results indicated better response to the infection--and improved nutrient absorption--in the group of pigs supplemented with the probiotic prior to the infection. Further information. Gloria Solano-Aguilar, USDA-ARS Nutrient Requirements and Functions Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Building 307-C BARC-East, Room 225, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705; phone: 301-504-8068; fax: 301-504-9062; email: gloria.solanoaguilar@ars.usda.gov. |
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