Probiatics  (also called, Bifidobacterium Lactis), are generally good, and are friendly organisms that are used to support the immune system. These Probiatics can be found everywhere within and on the body and all the body orifices. Probiatics can be found in foods that are regulated by the FDA as foods and not as drugs.

The use of Probiatics are used as “Complimentary and Alternative Medicine” (CAM). The Probiatics are mostly used to treat conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn’s disease, infectious diarrhea and stomach ulcers caused by the bacterium Heliocobacter Pylori, (H.pylori). These are just a few of the conditions that are favorably affected by Probiatics. They also react favorably for those who are lactose intolerant, suffer from gas buildup, bloating, and have diarrhea caused by the rotavirus.

Probiatics are actually living organisms, and although generally used to improve the above conditions, may also have some affect on individuals with highly impaired immune systems, and thus help in stimulating an improvement in the immune system. In these individuals, they can be prone to infections, and should an infection occur, they might usually require an antibiotic to treat them. The antibiotic will generally help these individuals recover from the infection. However, in doing so the antibiotic can have a deleterious affect on the good Probiatics present in their body. Therefore it is important that the patient increases their intake of Probiatics in their diet and even by the use of supplements.

Probiatics have been found useful in the treatment of urinary tract infections, especially in women. They also can prove to very affective in treating irritable bowel syndrome and may help in stopping the recurrence of bladder cancer. Probiatics generally prove to be of value in a great many other conditions, some of which are; vaginal infections, infectious skin diseases, periodontal disease and tooth decay, as well as respiratory and stomach infections in children. They also prove their ablility to reduce the affects caused by fungi, yeasts, parasites and other bacterium that have an impact on the immune system.

Although Probiatics have proven to be friendly for the average individual, as in any type of bacterium added to the body, there can be side affects when these Probiatics tend to rearrange the natural order of the gut flora, and possibly cause these unusual side affects, not found in the balance of a normal environment. The normal balance can be disrupted by several factors such as; an antibiotic used to combat a cold or other infections, as mentioned above.

Probiatics are found in foods such as yogurt, soy beverages fermented and unfermented milk. They are also found in health food stores in supplements that come in tablet, powder or capsules. In speaking of probiatics we need to mention that there are also Prebiotics. These are food ingredients that are non-digestible, however, they tend to stimulate the growth of the beneficial microorganisims needed, and that are already present in the body’s colon. The Prebiotics and the Probiotics generally form a partnership that is called, “symbiotic”.  The term symbiotic actually means that Probiatics and Prebiotics are joined in a friendly partner relationship, helping each other to maintain a normal healthy gut flora that is so essential in keeping the individual healthy. Probiatics have generally been used since biblical times. When the individual has any of the symptoms mentioned above, they should see their healthcare provider, and discuss their possible need to increase the use of Probiatics in the their diet.