Gastrointestinal health

Given that probiotics are consumed, it is not surprising that the prime target for probiotic use has traditionally been various diarrhoeas, with intestinal health as the main benefit. 

One of the early targets of probiotics has been the improvanent of the composition of the intestinal microbiota. From the above, it is obvious that criteria for improving intestinal microbiota composition are at present not clearly defined. Nevertheless, some options exist for improving intestinal microbiota. Keeping under control potential pathogens such as Clostridium difficile and Helicobacter pylori, which can be present in low numbers in the microbiota of asymptomatic healthy carriers, may be beneficial (see following text). Furthermore, although the composition of a healthy or normal microbiota is not known, it is assumed that the microbiota a 

Premature infants, and in particnlar very low birth weight infants, are at risk of developing necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). The mortality of NEC is substantial. Probiotics 

The question is whether we should strive for the eradication of H. pylori. Carriage or prior exposure to the organism has been found to be associated with reduced risk for allergy and obesity. It is possible that H. pylori should only be kept under control, and probiotics could play an important role here. 

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Claims are made about the health benefits of eating wholemeal bread. These claims are in regard to gastrointestinal health and cardiovascular disease. There does seem to be some truth in these claims. 

Rolfe, R. D. (2000). The role of probiotic cultures in the control of gastrointestinal health. /. Nutr. 130, 396S-402S. 

Bacteria- and fiber-containing composition for human gastrointestinal health Patent number US6241983 (2001)... 

Yogurt and fermented dairy products Probiotics Improve gastrointestinal health... 

Can lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exopolysaccharides (EPSs) play a role in improving gastrointestinal health More specifically, can the EPSs serve another role by interacting with the human immune system or even the human microbiome itself More recent gains in knowledge of the mechanisms by which EPS interacts with the intestinal tract, the microbiome and immune function seem to present an additional nutritional role that is offered by fermented dairy products. 

Macfarlane GT, Macfarlane S. Bacteria, colonic fermentation, and gastrointestinal health. / AOAC Int. 2012 95 50—60. 

Neish AS. Microbes in gastrointestinal health and disease. Gastroenterology. 2009 136 65-80. 

Erangois IE, Lescroart O, Veraverbeke WS, et al. Effects of a wheat bran extract containing arabinoxylan oligosaccharides on gastrointestinal health parameters in healthy adult human volunteers a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. Br Nutr. 2012 108 2229-2242. 

Lactobacillus Yogurt, other dairy products Improve gastrointestinal health and quality of intestinal... 

BeneFlora Probiotic Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Improve gastrointestinal health and systematic Ortis natural herbal... 

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