Lactobacillus acidophilus is a probiotic bacterium that can be found in the gut and other areas of the body. It has many health benefits including improving diarrhea and depression.
Many supplements now feature probiotics. One such probiotic supplement is Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus), a bacterium found in the gut. This type of bacterium has many health benefits to the body, which is why many food industries are considering it as a primary ingredient while making various foods. Yogurt, sauerkraut, and kefir are some of the foods rich in L. acidophilus. Researchers mention cancer treatment, yeast infections remedy, and management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IRS) as some of the health benefits of this bacterium. Find out more from this article.
i. Health with depression
Depression is a condition that’s affecting many people today and there is an increasing concern in handling it better every other day. In fact, WHO 2018 review shows that many lives are lost yearly to depression. Yet, L. acidophilus can help with this condition. For example, a 2013 study established that having depression could alter a person’s chemistry, and the very chemistry influences the brain condition. The same study found out that taking probiotics such as L. acidophilus bacterium could help a person with depression heal the symptoms or recover from depression completely. Studies are underway to determine the viability of these claims before recommending the supplement for depression.
ii. Lowering cholesterol levels
High amounts of cholesterol in the body are associated with many health conditions, including obesity, heart conditions, diabetes, and cancer. This explains why lots of research are being carried out to find healthy ways of eliminating excess cholesterol from the body. Several studies have linked probiotics such as L. acidophilus bacterium to helping cut down cholesterol levels. One study examined the effect of the bacterium on cholesterol levels when used in isolation and when used alongside other probiotics. The results showed that while using L. acidophilus with other supplements helped lower bad and good cholesterol levels significantly, using the same bacterium in isolation had no effect on the levels of the bacterium.
iii. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
CFS is a common problem characterized by lack of concentration, sleep problems, paining muscles, and a general feeling of being unwell. Although doctors and physicians have not fully understood this condition or its major cause, some studies link it to gut health. Yet, L. acidophilus bacterium has been found to help with gut health. In fact, in one study conducted in 2016 in rodents, rats with chronic fatigue registered an improvement in the syndromes after being given the bacterium. The same could apply to humans and research is underway to confirm this.
iv. Managing diarrhea
Management of diarrhea is one of the health benefits of L. acidophilus bacterium that its proponents boast of. Many older adults in adult care centers are affected by diarrhea, especially C. dificile induced diarrhea. Studies suggest that taking L. acidophilus bacterium supplements could help the old fellows manage and recover from this type of diarrhea. When the probiotic was tried on children, various studies came up with mixed findings. Some recorded improved diarrhea when the probiotic was used with other supplements, while others reported no improvements both when the supplement was used in isolation and alongside other supplements.
v. Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
IBS is also a common condition affecting people and is often characterized by constipation, diarrhea, depression, and change in bowel movements. As a way of managing these symptoms, doctors prescribe probiotic supplements, one of them being L. acidophilus supplements. As with the case for many health and dietary supplements, the results have been quite mixed. For instance, one study recorded improvements in the IBS symptoms when L. acidophilus supplement was used alongside Bifidobacterium lactis bacterium on patients with IBS for six weeks. Still, another study used several bacteria, including L. acidophilus, but no positive impacts were reported.
vi. Treating vaginal infections
Almost all women suffer from one form or another of vaginal infection at one point in life, which is why there are many suggestions for managing and treating candidiasis, and vaginosis. Yet, scientific evidence has proven with significant evidence that taking supplements that improve gut health could healthily cure these genital infections in women. Lactobacillus acidophilus, for instance, can improve the concentration of Lactobacilli, the good bacteria in the genital area which produce lactic acid and keep the genitals in good conditions. While other studies recorded positive effects with the use of this supplement, other studies noted no change.
vii. Handling lactose intolerance
Have you seen a person vomit, have diarrhea, or complain of gassing, bloating, and intestinal pain after taking milk? Many people experience the same symptoms, which are due to intolerance to lactose sugar found in milk and other dairy products. Since L. acidophilus supplements have live microorganisms, they can help break down and metabolize lactose. With such a support system, a person gets used to milk products and does not vomit or have diarrhea after taking dairy products. With time, the lactose intolerance may completely end.
viii. A boost for the immune system
Some studies suggest that when broad-spectrum antibiotics are used alongside L. acidophilus supplements, a person recovers fast and the antibiotic use becomes more effective. This could be because the use of L. acidophilus bacterium-based supplements boosts a person’s immune system which is why cold, fevers, and headaches are no longer a threat to people who use the supplements. In fact, one study noted that when children took L. acidophilus supplements, their fever reduced by 51% while coughs were cut by 41%.
ix. Reducing symptoms of eczema
Eczema, a skin condition, is affecting many people today. One of its most common forms is atopic dermatitis. Studies have noted that using L. acidophilus supplements together with conventional dermal therapy helps reduce the symptoms of eczema forms, including atopic dermatitis. In fact, some doctors now prescribe L. acidophilus supplements to pregnant women and infants from the time they are born to when they are three months old to help them prepare to manage eczema better.
Conclusion
There are many probiotic supplements, and L. acidophilus is one of them. This bacterium is found in yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut. It’s added to supplements to health manage depression, boost the immune system, treat vaginal infections, and reduce symptoms of eczema. Explore more about these health benefits from this article.
Sleep specialist
Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.
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