Articles tagged with Probiotics
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A group of international scientists has developed a new definition for synbiotics, outlining a mixture of live microorganisms and selectively utilized substrates that confer a health benefit on the host. The definition aims to clarify scientific ambiguity and provide a foundation for science-based claims about synbiotic health benefits.
Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital have identified key factors influencing the success of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating C. difficile infection. They developed an algorithm to design personalized probiotic cocktails, which contain species effective inhibitors of C. difficile and can be administered to pat...
Four simple criteria have been established to accurately use the term 'probiotic': purity, safety, clinical trial support, and maintenance of viability in products. This clarity will provide consumers with better transparency about expected benefits and allow them to make informed choices.
Researchers discovered that Nissle, a harmless E. coli strain, can protect intestinal tissue against pathogenic strains like enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). The probiotic was found to decline rapidly in the tissue while allowing it to withstand damage better.
A recent study has found that a strain of Lactobacilli bacteria from Sichuan pickles reduced Streptococcus mutans by 98.4%, which is commonly associated with tooth decay and cavities.
The American Gastroenterological Association recommends against using probiotics to treat most digestive diseases due to a lack of strong evidence supporting their efficacy. However, certain probiotic formulations may benefit patients in specific situations, such as preventing Clostridioides difficile infection or managing pouchitis.
A new study found that probiotics with top-performing Lactobacillus strains can improve vaginal health and reduce the risk of bacterial vaginosis, a disruption in the optimal microbiota. The research suggests that these strains could lead to better treatment options for this condition.
A global group of scientists proposes splitting the existing genus Lactobacillus into two genera, with 25 new genera having distinct names. This change aims to improve scientific accuracy and reflect closely related bacterial genes.
Probiotic intervention has been found to have a positive impact on neurologic manifestations of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including depression and cognitive impairments. Regular intake of probiotic bacteria has been shown to improve gut health and strengthen the brain-gut axis.
A new 12-week clinical trial found that heat-inactivated Bifidobacterium bifidum MIMBb75 improved IBS symptoms by at least 30% in 34% of patients compared to 19% on placebo. The treatment was also associated with a strong placebo effect, but the dead bacterial cells were still significantly better than placebo.
A recent analysis published in Dermatologic Therapy suggests that probiotics may be an effective alternative to traditional treatments for acne. The study found that probiotics can reduce inflammation and help the skin's natural defenses against acne, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Researchers have designed a novel probiotic strain that can seek out solid tumors and safely deliver immune checkpoint inhibitors, leading to tumor regression. The probiotic platform can also be used to deliver multiple immunotherapies simultaneously, enabling effective therapeutic combinations for difficult-to-treat cancers.
A recent study highlights the unreliable sources of probiotic information online and how health-benefit claims are often not supported by robust scientific evidence. Most websites providing probiotic info are from commercial sources or news outlets, which provide incomplete information on potential side effects and regulatory issues.
Researchers have identified a probiotic that slows and reverses the build-up of alpha-synuclein protein, which is associated with Parkinson's disease. The probiotic, Bacillus subtilis, produces chemicals that change how enzymes process specific fats, preventing toxic clumps from forming.
A study by Wake Forest School of Medicine identified a dead probiotic strain that reduces age-related leaky gut and inflammation in older mice. The dead probiotic strain, Lactobacillus paracasei D3-5, extended the lifespan of roundworms and improved physical and cognitive functions in mice.
A recent study found that probiotics and prebiotics have distinct effects on the immune systems of male and female piglets, contradicting previous assumptions. This research highlights the importance of considering sex in nutritional trials and may lead to personalized treatment approaches for infants.
A new trial found that probiotic drops containing Bifidobacterium animalis BB-12 reduced daily crying by 50% in 80% of infants, improving sleep duration and stool frequency.
The University of Stirling has launched a pioneering tool to minimize environmental and occupational health risks in shrimp farming. The Pedigree project aims to bring research into practical use, providing a 'traffic-light system' to differentiate riskier from higher-quality probiotic products.
A review of complementary and alternative therapies for treating infantile colic found some treatments like probiotics, fennel extract, and spinal manipulation to be effective but with limitations due to small sample sizes and subjective measurement methods.
A study found that probiotics can cause bloodstream infections in ICU patients, with 1.1% of cases linked to Lactobacillus bacteria. Genetic analysis revealed a mutation that made the bacteria resistant to antibiotics, highlighting the need for caution when using probiotics in critically ill patients.
Researchers found that adding live Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotic bacteria to milk reduced NEC cases from 7.5% to 3.1% and sepsis cases from 22.6% to 11.5%. This study suggests routine probiotics can help premature babies get the right gut bacteria from birth.
Researchers found that probiotic supplementation increased immunity against American Foulbrood and reduced the survival rate of infected bees. The study demonstrated a significant increase in Defensin-1 expression, a key antimicrobial peptide in honey bee defense.
Researchers have discovered a new antibiotic, phazolicin, produced by a soil bacterium from a Mexican tropical forest that can prevent harmful bacteria from growing in plant roots. The findings suggest the potential for using this bacterium as a 'plant probiotic' to improve crop health and resistance to disease.
A randomized controlled study suggests that probiotic supplements can help obese children lose body weight and reduce their risk of future metabolic conditions. The findings support the potential benefits of microbiome-based treatments for tackling childhood obesity.
Researchers have found that Saccharomyces boulardii, a probiotic yeast, produces uniquely excessive amounts of acetic acid. This discovery may pave the path towards improved treatments for intestinal diseases. The study also showed that modifying the yeast's genetic basis could enhance its probiotic effects.
A study found that general probiotic use could save the US healthcare system $1.4 billion annually by reducing acute respiratory tract infections, including influenza-like illnesses. Probiotics were associated with a decrease in doctor visits and sick absences, leading to significant cost savings.
Researchers have identified three genes from a probiotic Lactobacillus species as critical for mediating adhesion to the vaginal epithelium. This is likely crucial for how this species benefits vaginal health.
Researchers at UCLouvain discovered that consuming Akkermansia bacteria in the form of a food supplement can prevent deterioration of health status and lower inflammation markers. The study found improvements in cholesterol levels, body weight, and metabolic parameters in volunteers with pre-diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors.
Researchers found that probiotic bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens reduces the impact of white-nose syndrome in bat populations about five-fold. The treatment lengthened the amount of time bats stayed in the mine, allowing them to recover from the disease and emerge during spring-time when insects are available.
Researchers found that six probiotic Bacillus strains are resistant to various types of drugs and can still grow in their presence. The study aims to determine if these bacteria can transfer antibiotic resistance to harmful bacteria, posing a threat to human health.
Researchers at City University of Hong Kong have been awarded a $100,000 grant to develop a bioreactor that can cultivate multiple strains of probiotic bacteria simultaneously. The goal is to produce low-cost gut microbial biotherapeutics with a target cost of $0.1 per dose.
Researchers found that gut microbiota influences morphine tolerance, with tolerant mice lacking Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillaeae. Probiotics restored these depleted communities, reducing morphine tolerance in mice pretreated with probiotics.
Researchers found that only 35% of probiotic products were supported by clinical evidence, highlighting the need for clearer labeling. Products with fewer strains and lower cost were more likely to be backed by evidence, but consumers must still do their own legwork to find trustworthy products.
A recent review of studies found that regulating intestinal microbiota through probiotics and non-probiotic interventions can effectively reduce anxiety symptoms in people. Probiotic supplements were only effective in about half of the studies, while non-probiotic interventions showed a 86% rate of effectiveness.
An expert panel recommends companies undergo third-party evaluations to certify probiotic quality and label accuracy. They suggest publicly available quality standards and methods to provide consumers with certainty about what's in their probiotic product.
A combination of prebiotics and probiotics reduces the expression of pro-carcinogenic genes and may help treat colorectal cancer. The study used a unique gut-on-a-chip model to investigate diet-microbiome-host interactions, revealing a mechanistic basis for the observed beneficial effects.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have identified a novel probiotic mix that can weaken and break apart stubborn microbial biofilm communities in the gut, which are often resistant to antibiotics. The study suggests this probiotic could help patients with gastrointestinal diseases avoid harmful biofilms that worsen symptoms.
A new study found that probiotic bacteria can evolve and change inside the mouse's gut, making them less effective and sometimes harmful. The researchers discovered that the bacteria's DNA changes and they develop new capabilities after living in the mice's intestines for a few weeks.
A study of 150 volunteers found that consuming yogurt with probiotics increased the proportion of beneficial bifidobacteria, which can help metabolize lactose and produce vitamins. This shift in gut microbiota had a positive impact on the body's ability to resist inflammatory diseases and hormonal disorders.
Research from the University of Rochester Medical Center found that pregnant women taking probiotics can change the complex sugars in human breastmilk, known as HMOs. This discovery could lead to future studies on how diet and other factors influence HMO composition and potentially prevent food allergies.
A new study found that a probiotic supplement reduced hospitalization time and in-patient treatment for patients with mania. The results suggest that modulating the intestinal microbiota could be a new treatment avenue for patients suffering from psychiatric mood disorders.
Researchers discovered 12 bacteria types consistently varying in abundance by ethnicity, highlighting a baseline for understanding healthy microbiome differences among individuals. The findings hold promise for developing personalized approaches to prevent and treat chronic diseases disproportionately affecting ethnic minorities.
A recent Canadian study found that probiotics do not help reduce symptoms of gastroenteritis in children, contradicting previous smaller trials. The research recruited almost 900 children and tested two commercially available brands of probiotics.
A major US study has found that probiotics have no effect on symptoms in young children with gastroenteritis. The study, involving nearly 1,000 children ages 3 months to 4 years, provides evidence against the popular use of probiotics as a treatment for acute gastroenteritis.
A large randomized controlled trial found that probiotics do not improve outcomes for children with acute gastroenteritis. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that current recommendations to use probiotics for these patients may be outdated.
Researchers found that live probiotics in SymproveTM successfully colonized the gut and modified immune response, leading to changes in gut flora and a positive anti-inflammatory effect. The addition of Symprove resulted in increased beneficial bacteria and reduced inflammatory markers.
A study published in Immunity found that Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG supplementation increased bone formation in female mice by stimulating the growth of butyrate-producing gut bacteria. This activation led to the expansion of regulatory T cells, which secrete a protein called Wnt10b, critical for bone development.
Researchers used human organ-on-a-chip technology to investigate the mechanism of disease development and found that probiotics can cause more harm than good when the gut barrier is compromised. The study confirms that intestinal barrier disruption is the onset initiator of gut inflammation, a key factor in many diseases.
A phase II/III study found that a high concentration of multi-strain probiotic helped reduce mild to moderate episodes of chemotherapy-induced diarrhoea (CID) in cancer patients. The probiotic also reduced levels of inflammatory markers, although it did not meet its primary endpoint.
A new study by MIT researchers shows that combining antibiotic drugs with probiotics can eradicate two strains of drug-resistant bacteria that infect wounds. The probiotic bacteria were encapsulated in a protective shell of alginate to prevent them from being killed by the antibiotics.
A NIH study found that probiotic Bacillus eliminates Staphylococcus bacteria, preventing its growth in the gut and nose of healthy individuals. The researchers identified fengycins, a specific class of lipopeptides, as the substance responsible for inhibiting S. aureus sensing system.
Researchers have created a stable encapsulation system using cellulose and alginate to protect probiotics from stomach acid, allowing them to survive until reaching the intestine. This breakthrough may lead to more effective treatments for conditions like diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease.
Researchers found a correlation between the type and severity of cold symptoms and the mix of bacteria living inside the nose. Six different patterns of nasal microbiomes were identified, each associated with differences in symptom severity and viral load. Probiotics did not have an impact on cold symptoms or nasal microbiomes.
A systematic review found that healthy infants and children taking probiotics are 29% less likely to receive antibiotics. Probiotics may reduce antibiotic use by reducing the incidence and duration of infections, making them a potential tool for physicians as an alternative to antibiotics.
A review of twelve studies found that probiotics reduced antibiotic prescriptions by 29-53% in infants and children. The study suggests that probiotics may be a way to combat antibiotic resistance, with potential mechanisms including immune regulation and pathogen inhibition.
Researchers found that probiotics' effects on humans and microbiomes vary greatly from person to person. Personalized treatment was shown to have significant benefits in addressing adverse side effects of antibiotics. The study's results suggest a tailored approach to probiotic use, potentially leading to improved health outcomes.
A new study challenges the effectiveness of probiotics in boosting digestive health. Researchers found that many people's gut tracts prevent standard probiotics from successfully colonizing them. Additionally, taking probiotics after antibiotics may delay the return of normal gut bacteria and gene expression.
Research published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that probiotics increased the severity of cryptosporidiosis in mice, defying initial hypotheses. The study suggests that manipulating gut microbiota may hold potential for developing probiotics to mitigate the disease.
Researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine developed a probiotic cocktail from infant feces that modulated the gut microbiome and enhanced SCFA production in mice and human feces. This finding suggests these human-origin probiotics could be used to treat diseases associated with gut microbiome imbalance.
Researchers found a significant connection between probiotic use, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, high levels of D-lactic acid, and brain fogginess. The study suggests that excessive probiotic use can lead to severe bloating and disorienting brain fog.