BIFIDOPHILUS FLORA FORCE
NSP's Bifidophilus Flora Force is a Probiotic supplement,
providing 4 different strains of healthy intestinal flora: Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium
longum. These important and beneficial bacteria are "friendly" microorganisms
that naturally inhabit the intestinal tract, aiding digestion and absorption of
nutrients, as well as enhancing immune function and protecting against harmful
bacteria, viruses and fungi.
In the gastrointestinal tract, a delicate balance exists between the host and
the intestinal bacteria, most of which are present in the colon—at least 400
different species of micro flora exist in the human gastrointestinal tract.
Intestinal bacteria alter the chemical composition of foods and drugs; break
down dietary toxins; produce and degrade vitamins; create toxins and antitoxins;
and inhibit the growth of certain pathogens (disease-producing organisms).
Upsetting the balance of the intestinal micro flora, such as can occur with
antibiotic use, disease and aging, can negatively affect the beneficial role of
these important microorganisms.
Research has shown that certain live microorganisms known as probiotics can help
re-populate the gastrointestinal tract with healthy bacteria. Probiotics are
defined as live microorganisms that, once ingested, demonstrate a beneficial
effect upon the body by improving the balance of the intestinal flora. The most
reliable and well-researched probiotic organisms belong to either the
lactobacillus or bifidobacteria genera—lactobacillus bacteria reside mainly in
the small intestine and bifidobacteria colonize the large intestine. Probiotics
inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms, boost immune function, increase
resistance to infection and promote healthy digestion. Probiotics have been
shown to exert antimicrobial, antiallergenic, immunomodulatory,
anticarcinogenic, antidiarrhea and antioxidant activities, as well as other
health benefits. Probiotics prevent the growth of pathogenic organisms, not only
by competing for nutrients and space, but also by secreting organic compounds
such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, which make the
intestinal pH more acidic—most intestinal pathogens fail to thrive in an acidic
environment—as well as producing bactoriocins, which act as natural antibiotics
to kill unwanted microorganisms.
Much of the research on probiotics has focused on diarrhea prevention and
intestinal health, stomach ulcers, immunity and women's urogenital health. The
benefits of probiotic-use that have had substantial support from published
peer-reviewed human studies include preventing the onset of atopic dermatitis
(an allergic, inflammatory skin disorder causing an itchy rash), preventing
urogenital infections, and preventing and reducing the duration of diarrhea in
infants and children, including antibiotic- associated diarrhea and some
infectious and viral diarrheas such as rotavirus-induced diarrhea. In addition,
promising data exist on the use of probiotics for combating Helicobacter pylori
stomach infections, modulating mucosal immunity (the first line of defense
against foreign invaders), reducing the risk of certain cancers, and decreasing
serum cholesterol and oxaluria—the excess of calcium oxalate in the urine, which
contributes to the formation of kidney stones. Furthermore, preliminary human
studies suggest that probiotics have a positive effect in the treatment of
colitis (inflammation of the colon), also known as irritable bowel disease
(IBD)—a general term for a group of diseases involving intestinal-wall
inflammation and characterized by recurrent crampy abdominal pain and diarrhea,
including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Each serving of Bifidophilus Flora Force contains 2.5 billion Lactobacillus
rhamnosus, 2.5 billion Lactobacillus acidophilus, 2 billion Lactobacillus casei,
and 1 billion Bifidobacterium longum cultures, along with fructooligosaccharides
(FOS)—a dietary fiber that assists proliferation of these important bacteria.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus - Dietary consumption of L. rhamnosus was shown
to enhance systemic cellular immune responses in healthy volunteers and thus,
appears to be beneficial as a dietary supplement to boost natural immunity. Oral
intake of L. rhamnosus has also been shown to alleviate clinical symptoms of
gastrointestinal inflammation and atopic dermatitis, and significantly reduce
the occurrence of atopic-eczema an inflammatory skin condition characterized by
redness, itching and oozing lesions that become scaly, crusted or hardened) in
children. In addition, two separate studies involving children (ages 1 to 36
months) showed that L. rhamnosus significantly shortened the duration of
acute-onset rotavirus diarrhea compared to placebo. Furthermore, a landmark
study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology documented a
clear connection between food allergy and intestinal flora. A one-month trial
involving 10 infants with food-allergy-related dermatitis showed that L.
rhamnosus provided significant clinical improvements in the infants' conditions,
compared to those given a placebo.
Lactobacillus acidophilus demonstrated significant antioxidant activity
and has been shown to prevent several intestinal pathogens from attaching to
human intestinal cells, including Escherichia coli, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
and Salmonella typhimurium. L. acidophilus also inhibits the growth of
Helicobacter
pylori and has been proven effective m reducing the duration of acute diarrhea
in children. In addition, L acidophilus is regarded as a successful natural
treatment for bacterial vaginosis, particularly in pregnant women, due to the
lack of systemic side effects. Furthermore, a controlled clinical study found
that L. acidophilus can reduce serum cholesterol and thus, demonstrates the
potential for reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.
Lactobacillus casei significantly increased natural killer (NK) celt
activity in healthy volunteers, particularly those exhibiting low NK activity.
In addition, a controlled pilot study showed that L. casei reduced the duration
of winter infections (gastrointestinal and respiratory) by 20% in elderly
people. Furthermore, a 4-month double-blind, randomized trial involving 928
children (ages 6 to 24 months) found that L. casei significantly reduced the
frequency of diarrhea.
Bifidobacterium longum exhibited protective effects against invasion of
the intestinal mucosa by dietary antigens, as well as significantly suppressed
colon tumor incidence in animal studies. B. longum has also demonstrated
significant antioxidant activity. In addition, a randomized, double-blind trial
found that B. longum improved lactose digestion in 15 lactose malabsorbers, as
evidenced by reduced symptoms of flatulence. Furthermore, a study involving 32
patients with borderline to high cholesterol (serum total cholesterol ranging
from 220 to 280 mg/dl) showed that B. longum reduced total cholesterol in
approximately 50% of treated patients, with significant decreases among those
with total cholesterol levels greater man 240 mg/(ld.
Fructooligosaccharides are a type of nonedigestible fiber, derived from
foods such as asparagus, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke and onion, that can be
considered a probiotic—a nutritional substance that stimulates the growth of
probiotic organisms, leading to a beneficial balance of healthy and harmful
intestinal flora. FOS specifically stimulate bifidobacteria growth, while
suppressing the growth of potentially harmful pathogens such as Clostridium
perfringens in the colon. In addition, FOS enhance magnesium absorption in
humans and have been shown to reduce colon tumor development in animal studies.
Bifidophilus Flora Force
(90 capsules)
Go to my personal
NATURE'S SUNSHINE site for your Personal "Health Analysis".
You may
also check on product information, ordering and become a member for FREE.
Contact: Karen Olerich, Herb Specialist and Natural Health Consultant
Phone: (719) 495-4930
E-mail:
Karen
