Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T23:46:06.506Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Health benefits of probiotics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2019

Barry R. Goldin
Barry R. Goldin*
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

This paper reviews the evidence for the claims of health benefits derived from the use of probiotics. A brief history of probiotics and the types of probiotics currently used and the criteria for the selection of probiotics is discussed. The ability of probiotics to enhance the nutritional content and bioavailability of nutrients and the scientific evidence for the usefulness of probiotics in alleviating the symptoms of lactose intolerance and in enhancing growth development is examined. The remainder of the review focuses on studies of a specific probiotic, Lactobacillus GG which has been extensively investigated for its health benefits in humans and animals. These studies serve as a model for the potential benefits of probiotics. The ability of Lactobacillus GG to treat or prevent diarrhoeal disease, to serve as an adjuvant for vaccines, to prevent rotavirus-induced diarrhoea, to prevent milk-based allergic reactions, alcohol-induced liver disease and colon cancer are presented. The review concludes with a discussion of the data supporting the safety of probiotics.

Keywords

ProbioticsHealth benefitsLactobacillus GG
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 80 , supplement S2: Pre- and Probiotics: Where are We Today? , October 1998 , pp. S203 - S207
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1998

References

Deeth, HC & Tomine, AY (1981) Yogurt: nutritive and therapeutic aspects. Journal of Food Protection 44, 78–86.Google Scholar
Friend, BA & Shahani, KM (1984) Nutritional and therapeutic aspects of lactobacilli. Journal of Applied Nutrition 36, 125–153.Google Scholar
Fuller, R (1992) History and development of probiotics. In Probiotics: the Scientific Basis, pp. 1–7 [R., Fuller ed.]. London: Chapman & Hall.Google Scholar
Goldin, BR, Gualtieri, L & Moore, RP (1996) The effect of Lactobacillus GG on the initiation and promotion of dimethyl-hydrazine-induced intestinal tumors in the rat. Nutrition and Cancer 25, 197–204.Google Scholar
Gorbach, SL (1996 a) The discovery of Lactobacillus GG . Nutrition Today 31, 2S–4S.Google Scholar
Gorbach, SL (1996 b) Efficacy of Lactobacillus in treatment of acute diarrhea. Nutrition Today 31, 19S–23S.Google Scholar
Gorbach, SL, Chang, TW & Goldin, B (1987) Successful treatment of relapsing Clostridium difficile colitis with Lactobacillus GG . Lancet 2, 1519.Google Scholar
Hargrove, RE & Alford, JA (1980) Growth response of weanling rats to heated, aged, fractionated and chemically treated yoghurts. Journal of Dairy Science 63, 1065–1072.Google Scholar
Hilton, E, Kolakowski, P, Singer, C & Smith, M (1997) Efficacy of Lactobacillus GG as a diarrheal preventive in travelers. Journal of Travel Medicine 4, 41–43.Google Scholar
Hitchins, AD & McDonough, FE (1989) Prophylactic and therapeutic aspects of fermented milk. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 49, 675–684.Google Scholar
Isolauri, E, Juntunen, M, Routanen, T, Sillanaukee, P & Koivula, T (1991) A human Lactobacillus strain (Lactobacillus casei sp. strain GG) promotes recovery from acute diarrhea in children. Pediatrics 88, 90–97.Google Scholar
Isolauri, E, Joensuu, J, Suomalainen, H, Luomala, M & Vesikari, T (1995) Improved immunogenicity of oral Dx RRV reassortant rotavirus vaccine by Lactobacillus casei GG . Vaccine 13, 310–312.Google Scholar
Kim, HS & Gilliland, SE (1983) Lactobacillus acidophilus as dietary adjunct for milk to aid lactose digestion in humans. Journal of Dairy Science 66, 959–966.Google Scholar
Kolars, JC, Levitt, MD, Aouj, M & Savaino, DA (1984) Yogurt – an autodigesting source of lactose. New England Journal of Medicine 310, 1–3.Google Scholar
Lilly, DM & Stillwell, RH (1965) Probiotics: growth promoting factors produced by microorganisms. Science 147, 747–748.Google Scholar
Majamaa, H & Isolauri, E (1997) Probiotics: a novel approach in the management of food allergy. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 99, 179–185.Google Scholar
Nanji, AA, Khettry, U & Sadrzadeh, SMH (1994) Lactobacillus feeding reduce endotoxemia and severity of experimental alcoholic liver disease. Proceedings of Society of Experimental Medicine and Biology 205, 243–247.Google Scholar
Oksanen, PJ, Salminen, S, Saxelin, M, Hamalainen, P, Ihantola-Vormisto, A, Murasniemi-Isovitta, L, Nikkari, S, Oksonen, T, Porsti, I, Salminen, E, Siitonen, S, Stuckey, H, Toppila, A & Vapaatola, H (1990) Prevention of travellers diarrhea by Lactobacillus GG . Annals of Medicine 22, 53–56.Google Scholar
Robinson, EL & Thompson, WL (1952) Effect on weight gain and the addition of Lactobacillus acidophilus to the formula of newborn infants. Journal of Pediatrics 41, 395–398.Google Scholar
Salminen, SJ & Donahue, DC (1996) Safety assessment of Lactobacillus strain GG (ATCC 53103). Nutrition Today 31, 32S–34S.Google Scholar
Saxelin, M (1997) Lactobacillus GG – a human probiotic strain with thorough clinical documentation. Food Reviews International 13, 293–313.Google Scholar
Shahani, KM & Chandan, RC (1979) Nutritional and health aspects of cultured and culture containing dairy foods. Journal of Dairy Science 62, 1685–1694.Google Scholar
Sutas, Y, Hurme, M & Isolauri, E (1996) Down regulation of anti-CD3 antibody induced IL-4 production by bovine caseins hydrolysed with Lactobacillus GG-derived enzymes. Scandinavian Journal of Immunology 43, 687–689.Google Scholar
Wong, NP, McDonough, FE and Hitchins, AD (1983) Contribution of Streptococcus thermophilus to growth-stimulating effect of yogurt on rats. Journal of Dairy Science 66, 444–449.Google Scholar