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Probiotics labelled 'quite useless' (AMP link)
A group of scientists in Israel claim foods that are packed with good bacteria - called probiotics - are almost useless.
[...] The team at the Weizmann Institute of Science made their own probiotic cocktail using 11 common good bacteria including strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. It was given to 25 healthy volunteers for a month. They were then sedated and samples were surgically taken from multiple places in the stomach and small and large intestines.
The researchers were looking to see where bacteria successfully colonised and whether they led to any changes in the activity of the gut. The results in the journal Cell [open, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.08.041], showed in half of cases the good bacteria went in the mouth and straight out the other end. In the rest, they lingered briefly before being crowded out by our existing microbes.
[...] The research group also looked at the impact of probiotics after a course of antibiotics, which wipe out both good and bad bacteria. Their trial on 46 people, also in the journal Cell [open, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.08.047], showed it led to delays in the normal healthy bacteria re-establishing themselves.
Dr Elinav added: "Contrary to the current dogma that probiotics are harmless and benefit everyone, these results reveal a new potential adverse side effect of probiotic use with antibiotics that might even bring long-term consequences."
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday September 07 2018, @01:56PM (2 children)
Sorry for the redundant post, but this is probably more appropriate here (and there's no delete or move option, so...)
I went on a course of heavy IV antibiotics for 6 weeks once to treat a case of osteomyelitis. Mandatory with that treatment are regular examinations by the attending physician to check for, among other things, thrush - heavy fungal overgrowth in the mouth and throat. My physician was surprised I didn't present with thrush at all during the treatment, in her words "most" of her patients do. Semi-coincidentally, I was making my own kefir at the time - a process which generated over a gallon of kefir a week, most of which I consumed myself. I did not experience "ill" effects in my gut from the IV series. YMMV, anecdotes related over internet chat boards are not medical advice, etc.
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(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Friday September 07 2018, @10:19PM (1 child)
Could well be, although thrush is usually fungal in origin (a yeast infection) while osteomyelitis is usually bacterial in origin. Though the heavy antibacterials could alter your oral environment enough to let the fungus play ball. You may simply have not been exposed to C. Albicans in the period you were on treatment, or the antibi's may not have killed off enough mouth bacteria to make that happen. Or you might be really good about your oral care and/or other hygiene, as good brushing habits (including tongue stimulation) are supposed to also defend against it. Or it might have been the kefir. Hope to try it someday. ;)
This sig for rent.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Saturday September 08 2018, @03:16AM
The thing I hated the most about that IV series was the regular visits to, and occasional long waits in the physician's office, with a population of 50% osteo patients like myself (no concerns there) and 50% MRSA cases. WTF! leaving us sitting in a packed waiting room, sometimes for hours, with MRSA cases! That seemed beyond wrong.
These were the "squeeze ball" take home, to work, to bed, etc. continuous drip things, and they were bacterial focused - doc said she usually adds an anti-fungal when the white spots show up, but apparently I never needed it. Doc also wanted to remove my damaged toenail (dropped an axe on it, was half lifted up) - I declined that procedure, without consequence.
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