Short Feature

Probiotics:
Not-so Friendly
“Friendly Bacteria”? ANCHAL TYAGI

Possible Side Effects of

Acute Pancreatitis: Probiotic supplements
Probiotics have been shown to cause increased
Decreased Immune Function: Case mortality in patients with severe
reports have shown that probiotic pancreatitis. A therapeutic clinical trial

T
HE inside of our body is home to supplements should be cautiously used by conducted by Dutch Pancreatitis group
thousands of microorganisms like immunocompromised people, because as reported in The Lancet (February 2008
bacteria and fungi. Gut flora is the there is a potential for opportunistic issue) confirmed that probiotic
term used for the microorganisms that live
infections. Some hospitals have reported supplements are not appropriate for
in the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract. There are
treating Lactobacillus septicemia, a patients suffering from this disease.
about hundred trillion gut flora, compared
potentially fatal disease, caused by the
to the ten trillion cells that compose the
consumption of probiotic supplements by Jarisch–Herxheimer Reaction:
human body.
people with lowered immune systems. Her xheimer, a German dermatologist,
Some types of gut flora are helpful to
There is also a possibility that probiotic identified the reaction caused when too
the body. These so-called friendly bacteria
supplements may interact with many bad bacteria die at once. These
are necessar y for the protection of
immunosuppressive drugs, leading to life- dying disease organisms, usually
immune system, absorption of nutrients
threatening conditions. Spirochete, release toxins faster than the
from the blood in the digestive system and
body can handle. These toxins create an
preventing growth of harmful pathogenic
bacteria. Probiotics are supplements that
consist of live microorganisms and are
designed to promote good bacteria in the
body, particularly the GI tract.
While experts do not dispute that a
balance of gut flora is beneficial, many
believe that probiotic supplements are not
as helpful as previously thought. A probiotic
is a live microorganism supplied to the
body and therefore there is some
unpredictability in how it will react to the
indigenous microbiota located in the
subject ’s GI tract. Also, probiotic
supplements have significant components
that may not survive the acidic conditions
of the stomach, thus having no effect at
all.

55 SCIENCE REPORTER, JULY 2012

Short Feature
Rejections of the European Food
Safety Authority
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently rejected 171 of 181
proposals related to claims of health benefits of probiotic supplements. Some
of the reasons for these objections are:
 The international labeling conventions, standardization, and
nomenclature of particular strains have not been fully investigated.
 Inactive ingredients are not controlled and classified clearly enough.
 Most individuals have not determined which microflora are present in
high, or low or optimum numbers within their own GI tract, so the process
of trying to supplement particular microflora populations may involve
guesswork.
 Each individual carries a different combination of gut microflora. This
combination largely varies within the lifespan of the same individual with
respect to age and the different states that one’s body undergoes like sickness,
pregnancy etc. Therefore, there may be genetic propensities for and against
certain probiotic species and more research is needed to see which group
may benefit from which type of bacteria.
 The claim that a particular disease or genetic propensity is adequately
addressed by a particular probiotic strain cannot be made unless significant
statistical evidence is presented.
 Particular probiotic strains shown to have certain effects need to be
better catalogued. An official depository source of samples is required to Jarisch–Herxheimer Reaction
ensure consistent genetic trials.
the inside of the body). Thus, patients whose
 Genetic tampering with particular probiotic strains has led to many gut lining is compromised (which often
unofficial sub-species with unregistered names, misnomers and repeated happens in disease conditions that start
names that are a threat to the integrity of well-identified probiotic species. from unhealthy gut flora, making the
 Probiotic supplements have not undergone human trials. Laboratory recommendation of probiotic
results and animal studies cannot always be generalized to results in human supplementation natural) should avoid
beings. probiotic supplements.

 Dosing levels and optimum serving sizes, classified by age and weight,
Excessive Drainage Syndrome: Excessive
have not yet been defined or standardized for probiotic supplements.
Drainage Syndrome can result from
competing bacterial colonies when a new
immune reaction because the body taking probiotic supplements. Such probiotic is introduced to the intestine.
cannot release all of the toxins at a time, reactions indicate that one needs to Probiotic supplement users generally suffer
resulting in abdominal discomfort like gas, adjust the supplement dose or stop taking from dehydration. Intake of adequate
bloating and abdominal pain along with it altogether. liquids and electrolytes should be
headache and allergic reactions. The encouraged in such cases.
Jarisch–Herxheimer Reaction has been Translocation: Helpful bacteria can be
associated with diseases, including syphilis, harmful to the host if they leave the GI tract. Obesity: It has been found recently that
Q-fever, LD, leptospirosis, and occasionally Translocation occurs when bacteria leave obese people have different populations
typhoid and trichinosis. These reactions are the gut through its mucosal lining (the of microfloral bacteria than lean people.
commonly observed when one starts border between the lumen of the gut and The microfloral bacteria of obese people

Probiotic Food

SCIENCE REPORTER, JULY 2012 56

 Over the past two
decades, a wide range of
probiotic supplements
claiming to promote good
bacteria and to get rid of
Gut Flora
the bad ones have burst
into the market. Nearly
two million consumers
swallow the promiseof
improved digestive
health, provided by the
so-called “friendly
bacteria”. But is the
money worth spent?
extract more calories from food. proportion of Bacteroidetes increases and suffering from cancer should keep this in
Researchers from Gordan-Washington Firmicutes reduces if an obese individual mind, and check the constituents of the
University School of Medicine have shown loses weight. Probiotic supplements may probiotic supplements that they consume.
that obese people have greater affect this balance.
proportions of bacteria from Firmicutes Consumer, the Responsibility
division and lower proportions of bacteria Cancer: Some genera of bacteria, such is Yours
from Bacteroidetes division of microflora as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, are
While probiotics have the potential to help
as compared to the vice versa condition known to prevent tumor formation, while
the body, we need to understand the side
in lean people. The ratio between other genera such as Bacteroides and
effects that could occur when taking
Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes dynamically Clostridium have been associated with an
them. It should be kept in mind that
reflects the overall weight of an individual; increase in tumor growth rate. People
probiotics are considered supplements
and not medical treatment. Supplements
Natural Probiotic Products are not regulated by the government so it
is important to understand what one is
Another option is to take probiotics in their natural form instead of taking taking. You should learn to recognize some
artificially made supplements. Some of the natural food sources containing of the probiotic side effects and
probiotics are: immediately stop taking them as soon as
you experience them.
 Yogurt, which contains live bacteria culture.
Extra care should be taken while
 Aged cheeses that are unbaked and unprocessed (e.g. cheddar introducing probiotic supplements into a
and blue cheese) are the best sources of probiotics. child’s diet, as adult products are usually
 Fermented milk not suitable for juvenile and infant use. For
consumers that are attempting a major
 Kefir, a fermented dairy beverage that originated in Central Asia,
internal cleansing of the GI tract,
is similar to yogurt.
incremental doses are recommended.
 Miso, a seasoning paste made from fermented soy and barley or Trying familiar strains of bacteria at the first
rice, and is used as a base in many Japanese soups and sauces. stage is recommended to avoid any
 Tempeh is a cake form of fermented soybeans and is also a good serious effects. Similarly, the consumer
source of protein. should conduct significant trials on the
reliability and utility of particular products
 Juices with live cultures. before investing money on it.
 Sauerkraut, German style of fermenting cabbage. Homemade
sauerkraut has probiotics, but commercially packaged sauerkraut Ms Anchal Tyagi is with the Indian Pharmacopoeia
often doesn’t. Commission, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,
Government of India, Sector-23, Raj Nagar,
 Kim chi, Korean style of fermenting cabbage. Ghaziabad-201002

57 SCIENCE REPORTER, JULY 2012