Certain probiotics may help the human immune system fight off different types of infection, from Candida to H. pylori and even the common cold. But how does it work, and which probiotic species have produced the best results? Read on to find out.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Certain probiotic supplements may support immunity and help support conventional treatment of infections. However, probiotics should not be used in place of what your doctor prescribes, and certain people with compromised immune systems may not respond well. Talk to your doctor before starting a probiotic supplement.<\/p>\n
Frequently used probiotic strains for H. pylori<\/em><\/a> infection are L. johnsonii<\/em>, S. boulardii<\/em>, L. acidophilus<\/em> and B. animalis <\/em>ssp. lactis <\/em>(R<\/a>).<\/p>\n According to some researchers, probiotics may inhibit H. pylori<\/em> infection by both non-immunological and immunological mechanisms (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. delbrueckii <\/em>ssp. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus<\/em> improved<\/strong> H. pylori<\/em> eradication rates<\/strong><\/a> in infected patients (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. acidophilus<\/em> decreased the viability of H. pylori<\/em> and increased the eradication rate in infected patients (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Multi-strain probiotics, including L. acidophilus<\/em>\/B. animalis<\/em>, significantly improved H. pylori<\/em> eradication rates, prevented adverse reactions, and reduced antibiotic-associated diarrhea (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. gasseri<\/em> suppressed H. pylori<\/em> and reduced gastric mucosal inflammation<\/strong> in infected patients (R<\/a>). A 4-week treatment with L. gasseri<\/em>-containing yogurt improved the efficacy of triple therapy in patients with H. pylori<\/em> infection (R<\/a>). L. gasseri<\/em> yogurt also suppressed dyspeptic symptoms<\/strong> in H. pylori<\/em>-infected patients (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Fermented milk containing L. johnsonii <\/em>co-administered with antibiotics was shown to have a favorable effect on H. pylori<\/em> gastritis<\/strong> (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. johnsonii <\/em>inhibited H. pylori<\/em> colonization<\/strong> in children (R<\/a>, R<\/a>) and in asymptomatic volunteers (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n A 2-week treatment with L. reuteri<\/em> significantly reduced<\/strong> H. pylori<\/em> overgrowth<\/strong> in otherwise healthy adults (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n B. animalis<\/em> spp. lactis <\/em>and inulin significantly reduced treatment side effects<\/strong> and indirectly increased eradication rates by increasing patient compliance in patients with symptomatic H. pylori<\/em> infection (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n B. bifidum <\/em>improved rates of upper gastrointestinal symptomatic subjects and total symptoms<\/strong> in patients with H. pylori<\/em> infection (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n The combined use of C. butyricum<\/em> reduced the changes in the intestinal flora and decreased the incidence of gastrointestinal side effects<\/strong> in patients going through H. pylori <\/em>eradication therapy (R<\/a>, R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. brevis<\/em> treatment decreased H. pylori<\/em> colonization<\/strong> in dyspeptic H. pylori <\/em>patients and reduced polyamine biosynthesis (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n B. subtilis<\/em> containing probiotics improved H. pylori <\/em>eradication and decreased diarrhea and total side effects<\/strong> when used in conjunction with triple therapy (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n S. boulardii <\/em>reduced the colonization of H. pylori<\/em><\/strong> in the human gastrointestinal system, but it does not seem to be able to eradicate infection when used as single therapy (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n In patients with H. pylori<\/em> infection, S. boulardii<\/em> along with standard triple therapy may increase the eradication rates and decrease overall therapy-related side effects<\/strong>, particularly diarrhea (R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>).<\/p>\n S. boulardii<\/em> administered in addition to proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy slightly lowered the incidence of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain and significantly lowered the incidence of stomatitis, constipation, and diarrhea in infected children (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n S. boulardii<\/em> improved anti-H. pylori<\/em> therapy-associated diarrhea, epigastric discomfort, and treatment tolerability. In addition, S. boulardii<\/em> decreased post-treatment dyspepsia symptoms independent of H. pylori<\/em> status (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. paracasei<\/em> supplementation prevented bowel symptom onset<\/strong> in patients on long-term proton pump inhibitors (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n When L. casei<\/em> was administered to medical students undertaking an authorized nationwide examination to test their response to stress, this bacterium lowered the rate of subjects experiencing common abdominal and cold symptoms,<\/strong> and decreased the total number of days students experienced these symptoms (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n In academically stressed undergraduate students, B. bifidum<\/em> increased the proportion of healthy days<\/strong> per participant and decreased the percentage of participants reporting cold\/flu<\/strong> during the intervention period (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n The following purported benefits are only supported by limited, low-quality clinical studies. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of probiotics for any of the below-listed uses. Remember to speak with a doctor before taking probiotic supplements, and never use them in place of something your doctor recommends or prescribes.<\/p>\n Gut microbiota cooperate with the host immune system through an extensive array of signaling pathways (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Studies with germ-free animals show that the microbiota are necessary for the development and regulation of immunity in the gut, where it prevents the development of inappropriate inflammation (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n According to some researchers, probiotics may modify the immune system by stimulating anti-inflammatory cytokines, downregulating proinflammatory cytokines, and modulating white blood cell<\/a> responses (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Probiotics activated both innate and acquired immunity in humans<\/strong> (R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. paracasei<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> L. delbrueckii<\/em><\/a>, L. fermentum<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> L. lactis<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> L. gasseri<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> B. longum<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> B. breve<\/em><\/a>,<\/em> B. animalis<\/em><\/a> and other probiotics were shown to skew the<\/strong> Th1<\/strong><\/a>\/Th2<\/strong><\/a> balance toward<\/strong> Th1<\/strong><\/a> (R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>) in infections and allergies.<\/p>\n L. paracasei<\/em> prevented common infectious disease<\/strong> in children attending daycare (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. helveticus<\/em> supplementation significantly shortened the duration and decreased the number of symptoms of upper respiratory tract illness<\/strong> in athletes and increased their sense of vigor (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Fermented milk containing L. johnsonii<\/em> suppressed infections<\/strong> in the elderly (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. brevis<\/em> reduced the incidence of influenza<\/strong> in elementary schoolchildren. The improvement was especially pronounced in unvaccinated individuals (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n S. boulardii<\/em><\/a> enhanced the immune response<\/strong> in pediatric acute gastroenteritis (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Yogurt fermented with L. lactis<\/em> lowered the risk of the common cold<\/strong> in human subjects (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Fermented milk containing L. rhamnosus<\/em><\/a> significantly reduced the risk of respiratory tract infections that lasted longer than three days in hospitalized children (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Preterm infants treated daily with L. rhamnosus<\/em> in capsules, starting within one week after birth, had a significantly lower incidence of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and rhinovirus-induced episodes in the first 2 months (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Consumption of L. rhamnosus<\/em> reduced the occurrence of respiratory illness<\/strong> in children attending daycare centers (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Children receiving L. rhamnosus<\/em> probiotics had fewer days with respiratory symptoms per month than the children in the control group (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Capsulated L. rhamnosus<\/em> appeared to protect hospitalized patients against ventilator-associated pneumonia, mainly when caused by Gram-negative pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa <\/em>(R<\/a>).<\/p>\n In cystic fibrosis patients with P. aeruginosa<\/em>, long-term L. rhamnosus<\/em> significantly decreased the incidence of pulmonary exacerbations and increased body weight (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. casei<\/em> significantly lowered the incidence and duration of upper respiratory tract infections<\/strong> (URTIs) in healthy middle-aged office workers (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Similarly, in healthy shift workers, L. casei<\/em> decreased the incidence of gastrointestinal and respiratory common infectious disease (CIDs), increased the time to the first occurrence of CID, and reduced the total number of CIDs in the subgroup of smokers. In the course of CID, the total duration of fever was lower and an increase in leukocyte, neutrophil, and natural killer (NK) cell counts and activity was observed (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n L. casei <\/em>also lowered the incidence of common infectious diseases<\/strong> (CIDs) in children (R<\/a>), decreased the duration of CID, and especially upper-respiratory-tract infections (URTI) such as rhinopharyngitis in the elderly (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n In athletic men and women who engaged in endurance-based physical activities in winter, L. casei <\/em>lowered the proportion of subjects who experienced 1 or more weeks with upper-respiratory-tract infection (URTI) symptoms and decreased the number of URTI episodes (<\/a>2) Cold & Flu<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Insufficient Evidence For<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>3) Immunity<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Against Infections<\/strong><\/h4>\n