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Probiotics Come with Bold Health Claims, but the Science is Shaky

posted by martyb on Wednesday January 27 2016, @03:36PM   
from the avoid-the-amateur-biotics dept.

AndyTheAbsurd writes:

The "good bacteria," or probiotics, that fill the pomegranate drink are everywhere these days, in pills and powders marketed as super supplements. Probiotics are said to improve digestive and immune health. They're touted as potential treatments for conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to eczema to tooth decay. Some marketing campaigns even hint that they can prevent the flu.

Scientific evidence, however, does not necessarily support those claims.

Studies in rodents and small groups of humans point to possible health benefits of consuming probiotics. But there have been only a few large human trials — in large part because Food and Drug Administration rules have dissuaded food companies and federally funded researchers from conducting the types of studies that could confirm, or refute, the proposed benefits of consuming "good" microbes.

http://www.statnews.com/2016/01/21/probiotics-shaky-science/

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Original Submission

• Re:What is it? Re:What is it? (Score: 2) by legont on Thursday January 28 2016, @05:41AM

  by legont (4179) on Thursday January 28 2016, @05:41AM (#295788)

  True, but not exactly.

  First, carbs promote overeating. One gets hungry again very soon after say rice or potatoes, while fat takes more time to digest. For me it is almost impossible to overeat meat.

  Second, one can eat say lean chicken, non-fat greek yoghurt and so on bringing down animal fat intake - the biggest argument against Atkins.

  Third, whatever calorie deficit is easily replaced by better fats - nuts, avocado, olive oil.

  The bottom line, it's much easier to cut carbs than to keep so called low calorie balanced diet.

  Besides, most carb foods are carcinogenic, especially whole bread, fries, cookies - basically anything starchy cooked at high temps (acrylamide is known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity in the state of California:)

  Oh, and speaking of reproductive, carbs at night bring testosterone way way down.

  Government or doctors on the other hand will never recommend it simply because there are not enough food out there without carbs.

  --
  "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.

  Parent

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• Re:What is it? (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 28 2016, @06:10AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 28 2016, @06:10AM (#295800)

  "One gets hungry again very soon after say rice or potatoes [...]"

  In a study that measured the satiating index of 38 foods, including brown rice and whole-wheat bread, people ranked boiled potatoes highest, reporting that they felt fuller and ate less two hours after consuming them.

  —https://abcnews.go.com/Health/10-filling-foods-weight-loss/story?id=21153507 [go.com]

  Parent