Digestive Health Archives

Probiotics can improve hypertension

Digestive Health, Disease, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

Study after study shows that probiotics help treat gastrointestinal issues including IBS, diarrhea, gas and constipation. However, the benefits aren’t confined to digestive health.

Recent studies are also proving that probiotics can improve hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure. Primarily caused by environmental factors such as salt intake, minimal exercise, weight gain and high cholesterol due to bad diet, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attacks and heart failure.

The International Journal of Molecular Science published a review on various studies conducted on how probiotics improved hypertension, particularly the effects on cholesterol and diabetes. Among their conclusions, researchers proved that probiotics could reduce the amount of cholesterol, thus decreasing the chance of high blood pressure. Additionally, probiotics provide a safe alternative treatment to drugs or hormone therapy, with milder or no known side effects.

Probiotics not only treat digestion problems, but they also help lower your risk for hypertension. Add a daily probiotic like EndoMune Advanced Probiotic to your diet to improve your chances for a healthier life.

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10 Reasons Everyone Should Take a Probiotic

Digestive Health, Healthy Aging, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

With 100 trillion bacteria and many different species of microflora floating around in our intestinal tract, a balance of good and bad bacteria is necessary to maintain the normal functioning of our immune system and intestines, as well as to promote optimal health.

Considering the recent attention being paid to probiotics—many positive medical studies have been reported in the mainstream media—more people are asking why they need to take a probiotic to protect and improve their overall health.

Here are 10 reasons to take a probiotic for your good health:

1. Your body is under constant attack externally (from exposure to bad bacteria) and internally (our go-go lifestyles hinder our eating habits). Taking a good probiotic, ideally with multiple strains of good bacteria, is the safest, easiest and most effective way to maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in your body.

2. The human body cannot replenish the various strains of live and beneficial bacteria your body needs every day to stay healthy just by eating foods like yogurt, miso soup, pickles and sauerkraut that usually contain limited amounts of a single strain of bacteria. This is especially true if you’re using probiotics to treat a specific health problem.

3. Probiotics containing multiple strains of beneficial bacteria are more effective in treating a range of health-based problems, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, immune function and respiratory tract infections, according to a 2011 analysis of studies.

4. A growing number of studies are showing how taking a probiotic can be beneficial for patients when they are prescribed a broad spectrum antibiotic. Antibiotics can often disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria in patients’ bodies, causing unwelcome side effects like diarrhea.

5. Taking a good probiotic boosts patients’ natural defenses, protecting them from traveler’s diarrhea, too.

6. New moms can sidestep the prolonged crying and discomfort from their babies suffering infantile colic by giving them a high-quality probiotic.

7. Recent studies have been linked with taking a high-quality probiotic to beneficial effects on the gut-brain axis that may positively affect your emotions and help you beat depression.

8. The healthy bacteria contained in a good probiotic help maintain normal intestinal motility and lessen the problems of constipation.

9. Reducing your risks of colon cancer is as simple as taking a good probiotic.

10. Probiotics are a newfound weapon that may assist in lowering elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels that contribute to cardiovascular disease.

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Support Our Stressed-out Soldiers and Their Gut Health

Digestive Health / By Staff Writer

This month’s 14th celebration of National Military Appreciation Month couldn’t have come at a better time to spotlight the problems some of our stressed soldiers experience with their gut health.

A recent study concluded that higher stress, anxiety and depression felt by 37 male army soldiers during their fourth week of intense combat training (after a resting period) were connected to a greater incidence and severity of gastrointestinal problems, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The good news: The Department of Veterans Affairs is recognizing these IBS-related health problems suffered by soldiers.

Last year, the VA began implementing an assessment rule for disability benefits, taking into account the high numbers of deployed soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq suffering from IBS and other gastrointestinal setbacks.

“The effects of IBS and other digestive disorders can be debilitating and disruptive to a person’s everyday life,” says International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders President and Founder Nancy Norton. “It’s important that veterans are aware of symptoms of IBS and the advancements in this arena so that they can be best cared for after returning home from service.

“IBS is a long-term condition with symptoms that can change over time in a person. There isn’t an easy remedy for people with IBS, but working in partnership with a knowledgeable care provider can often go a long way toward helping to manage the symptoms.”

The Institute of Medicine released Gulf War and Health Volume 9, a recent report that found there was no “one-size-fits-all” answer for veterans experiencing chronic, multi-symptom illnesses like IBS.

Ailmentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics

Medical News Today

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Feel Relief From IBS With Probiotics

Diet, Digestive Health / By Staff Writer

Constipation as a result of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, can be uncomfortable and disconcerting. Although prescription drugs can provide some relief, it can cause unwelcomed side effects. In fact, in nearly 29 percent of clinical studies, medicines prescribed to treat IBS caused considerable side effects, such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and headache.

An EndoMune Advanced customer, who had previously been diagnosed with IBS, was prescribed a medication for chronic constipation. The medication caused her to experience side effects resulting in her feeling discomfort rather than relief. Because of this, she began taking EndoMune Advanced daily and noticed that she no longer relied on her prescription medication to treat her IBS.

Medications prescribed to treat IBS improve constipation by stimulating the intestines to secrete chloride, which, as a result, leads to more fluid in the intestines. These medications treat the symptoms of IBS rather than the underlying problem and disrupt the healthy balance of intestinal bacteria. Probiotics, on the other hand, re-establish the health balance that had been disrupted and corrects the underlying problem that causes the constipation.

Before turning to prescription medication to treat your IBS, try a probiotic supplement, like EndoMune Advanced, and you just might find the relief you seek.

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Ease “Tummy Aches” With Probiotics

Digestive Health, Healthy Aging / By Staff Writer

Surveys have found that 10-20% of children have been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Symptoms of abdominal pain, distention, diarrhea and constipation can be very debilitating for the child and distressing for the parents.

A study conducted by Dr. Ruggiero Francavilla published in the Journal of Pediatrics in 2011 evaluated the benefits of probiotics versus a placebo in alleviating IBS symptoms in children.

The team of researchers studied 141 Italian children over the course of eight weeks. The children, whose ages ranged from five to 14, were divided into three groups, two receiving a probiotic supplement and one receiving a placebo. Results from the study concluded that those taking the probiotic had a 50% reduction in IBS symptoms compared to the placebo group.

If your child has been diagnosed with IBS and struggles with ongoing symptoms, you may want to consider a trial of a high quality probiotic like EndoMune Jr.

It is always best to check with your child’s physician before starting a probiotic.

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Celebrate Holiday Gut Health

Digestive Health, Mental Health / By Staff Writer

The holiday season is upon us and that means traveling, eating rich foods and celebrating with family and friends. With all these activities, there is no time to have an unhappy tummy. Taking a daily probiotic can help maintain the normal intestinal activity despite the changes in diet, hectic schedule and travel.

Dependent upon the vacation destination, traveler’s diarrhea can be a problem. Studies have found that probiotics can help enhance normal intestinal immunity and maintain the good bacteria to help in our digestion. In addition, probiotics can lessen the risk of contracting traveler’s diarrhea by 30-40%; therefore, everyone should make it part of their “travel insurance.”

Traveling and visiting family and friends does increase the risk of picking up cold and flu viruses. By taking a daily probiotic, it can lessen the risk of catching these infections, especially for children.

The bottom line is, enjoy the holidays and consider taking a daily dose of EndoMune Advanced. If you have children, give them an EndoMune Jr. It may help to protect their GI and respiratory systems.

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How to get rid of diarrhea

Children’s Health, Digestive Health, Women’s Health / By Staff Writer

Taking probiotics may be helpful in preventing diarrhea, but a review of more than 63 studies by the Cochrane Library suggests that it can help to get rid of diarrhea quicker.

This review of nearly 8,000 patients — including 56 focused on infants and young children — concluded the use of probiotics shortened the course of diarrhea by a day, and reduced the duration of diarrhea lasting more than four days by 59 percent.

Also, probiotics decreased the chances of spreading the diarrhea infection and relieved discomfort.

Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum — both critical strains of beneficial bacteria contained in EndoMune Advanced Probiotic and EndoMune Kids, –were among the strains of probiotic bacteria used in the studies.

Researchers found no difference between the strains of probiotic bacteria used as all the strains proved to be safe and beneficial to the study participants.

“A striking finding of this review is that most trials reported that probiotics reduced diarrhea,” said lead researcher Stephen Allen of the School of Medicine at Swansea University, UK, according to a press release. “The beneficial effect was consistent and significant across many different types of trials.”

Be wary of standard diarrhea treatments

Unfortunately, three of the more popular ways to treat diarrhea — taking an antibiotic or an over-the-counter medication or eating specific foods — may not be as safe or reliable and create more health complications you’ll want to avoid, especially if your child is at risk.

For example, some health experts advise taking antibiotics, but only if bacteria or parasites trigger diarrhea. Yet, antibiotics can cause great harm not only by disrupting the healthy balance of bacteria in your gut but by promoting the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs like C. diff infections.

Also, taking an over-the-counter drug like loperamide (Imodium) or bismuth-subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol) only treats diarrhea, but not the underlying cause of the problem. Plus, you should be very careful if your child has the flu or chickenpox that you don’t treat him/her with medicines that contain bismuth-subsalicylate due to their link to Reye syndrome, a rare but very serious disease.

Plus, the verdict is very much mixed about the value of following the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast), particularly for children because it doesn’t contain enough nutrients to help their guts recover from diarrhea.

However, taking a probiotic is one of most effective ways, not only to shorten the duration of diarrhea, but to give your body a healthy boost to its natural defenses to prevent it altogether.

The real trick about probiotics: There’s a huge difference between taking a probiotic containing single or multiple strains of beneficial bacteria.

A growing number of studies have shown taking a multi-species probiotic like EndoMune — containing 10 strains beneficial bacteria plus a prebiotic– are effective in treating a host problems in addition to diarrhea, including IBS, respiratory tract infections and immune functioning. More information about traveler’s diarrhea can be found here.

How to get rid of diarrhea Read More »

Not-So-Sweet News For Your Gut

Diet, Digestive Health / By Staff Writer

Multiple studies have been performed on the impact that fructose and artificial sweetners have upon the body. Now new research supports that these items, with the addition of sugary alcohols may contribute to metabolic disorders and obesity by triggering a “Western” gut microbiome. The microbiome occurs as a result of decreased diversity in the intestinal tract.

The impact of this microbiome can range from short-term to long-term, depending on your rate of consumption. To combat its negative impacts and promote a healthily diverse digestive bacteria environment, try a product like EndoMune which delivers both potency and variety.

Check out the full article and learn more about how the impact the “Western” gut microbiome is having upon recent community health.

Not-So-Sweet News For Your Gut Read More »

Bloating: Can We Talk About Gas?

Digestive Health, Probiotics / By Staff Writer

Bloating (Intestinal gas) is a very common problem in the general population and is a frequent reason why people seek medical attention. Passage of intestinal gas is viewed differently depending your age and gender.

Kids make lots of jokes and take pride in telling someone to “pull my finger.” Boys grow up to be men who believe passing flatus is not rude or embarrassing and like to use phrases like “whoever smelt it dealt it” or “whoever denied it supplied it.”

Females would like to deny that intestinal gas exists and will try to hold it to avoid any embarrassment. This practice can certainly lead to increased intestinal symptoms of bloating, distention, and discomfort.

One of the most common symptoms leading individuals to seek gastrointestinal evaluation is “gas.” They are convinced that excess gas is the cause of their abdominal bloating and distention. In addition, they believe that the need to belch and expel flatus is also due to an excess production of gas.

There have been many studies evaluating the above mentioned symptoms and results are rather surprising.

BELCHING

Belching is due to swallowing excess air. It is not due to increased intestinal or gastric production.

We all swallow some air when we eat or drink especially carbonated beverages. But people who complain of needing to belch frequently usually have developed an air-swallowing habit. This usually occurs for one of two reasons:

Sometimes people swallow excess air to ease symptoms due to heartburn or ulcers. Easing these symptoms with acid suppressive medications may lessen the desire to swallow air.
The other reason for chronic belching is due to an unconscious way of dealing with stress or anxiety. For these individuals, making them aware of their excess air swallowing can sometimes be helpful.

BLOATING AND DISTENTION

When people experience the discomfort of abdominal bloating and distention, they believe it is due to excess gas production in the intestines.

Studies have determined that people who have symptoms of bloating have no more intestinal gas than normal people¹. The cause of the symptoms has been attributed to “visceral hypersensitivity.”

Visceral hypersensitivity is a term used to describe the heightened level of intestinal discomfort that individuals experience due to normal intestinal activity.

Research studies have found that when air is instilled into the intestines of individuals with visceral hypersensitivity, they experience symptoms of bloating and distention while the normal group notices no discomfort.²

Visceral hypersensitivity has been thought to be part of the syndrome of Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS). Historically, this syndrome has been attributed to psychological disorders. However, recent observations have noted that up to 30% of individuals who experience an episode of infectious diarrhea develop post infectious IBS symptoms³. One of the most prominent symptoms of IBS is bloating.

The current thinking is that an intestinal infection disrupts the healthy intestinal bacterial flora resulting in an immune response that leads to chronic low-grade inflammation. The inflammation then causes visceral hypersensitivity.

Recent studies using probiotics to re-establish the normal intestinal bacterial flora have been successful in down regulating the inflammation and easing the symptoms of bloating.^4,5

FLATULENCE

Here are some interesting facts you can share with your friends, about flatulence:

Passage of gas or flatus is normal. Generally, healthy people pass 8-25 ounces daily. Frequency is 10-20 passages/day.

Gas is produced by intestinal bacteria primarily located in the colon.

The amount gas produced is determined by three factors:

The amount and type of carbohydrates consumed
The amount and types of intestinal bacteria present
The ability of the small intestines to digest and absorb the carbohydrates

Two common causes of excess flatulence are:

poor digestion of the sugar lactose in dairy products;
limited absorption of fructose which is a sugar found in soft drinks and certain fruits like apples and bananas.

Some vegetables have starches that are only partially absorbed. The nonabsorbed starches pass into the colon and contribute to excess flatus production. Beans, brussel sprouts, carrots, onions and celery are the major offenders.

The carbohydrates in bread and pasta can be a problem for some people. Recently, there has been a lot written about “gluten sensitivity.” Avoiding the grains of wheat, barley, and rye can help some people lessen the production of excess flatus.

Colonic bacteria normally generate intestinal gas through fermentation of the carbohydrates that escaped absorption in the small intestines. An imbalance in the gut bacterial flora may result in excessive gas formation. Some bacterial groups are more prone to gas production than others. Hence, improving the bacterial balance with a probiotic may improve gas-related symptoms.⁸

Take Home Message

If you are experiencing symptoms of bloating, distention, or increased flatus, consider taking a high quality probiotic like EndoMune.

In addition, you may want to modify your diet by avoiding foods that contribute to flatulence. It is always wise to check with your doctor if your symptoms persist.

Eat healthy, exercise and live well!!!

Best Wishes,

Dr. Hoberman

Foods that may cause gas include:*

Beans
Vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, onions, artichokes, and asparagus
Fruits, such as pears, apples, bananas and peaches
Whole grains, such as whole wheat and bran
Soft drinks and fruit drinks
Milk and milk products, such as cheese and ice cream, and packaged foods prepared with lactose, such as bread, cereal, and salad dressing
Foods containing sorbitol, such as dietetic foods and sugar-free candies and gums

References

*National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
Gas in the Digestive Tract

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gas/

1) An understanding of excessive intestinal gas.
Suarez FL, Levitt MD.Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2000 Oct;2(5):413-9. Review.

2) J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2011 Apr;26 Suppl 3:119-21. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2011.06640.x.Visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome.
Kanazawa M, Hongo M, Fukudo S

3) Incidence of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome and functional intestinal disorders following a water-borne viral gastroenteritis outbreak.Zanini B, Ricci C, Bandera F, Caselani F, Magni A, Laronga AM, Lanzini A; San Felice del Benaco Study Investigators.Am J Gastroenterol. 2012 Jun;107(6):891-9. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2012.102. Epub 2012 Apr 24.

4) The putative role of the intestinal microbiota in the irritable bowel syndrome.
Collins SM, Denou E, Verdu EF, Bercik P.Dig Liver Dis. 2009 Dec;41(12):850-3

5) Probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 versus placebo for the symptoms of bloating in patients with functional bowel disorders: a double-blind study.
Ringel-Kulka T, Palsson OS, Maier D, Carroll I, Galanko JA, Leyer G, Ringel Y.
J Clin Gastroenterol. 2011 Jul;45(6):518-25.

6) Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity Diagnosed by Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Challenge: Exploring a New Clinical Entity.Carroccio A, Mansueto P, Iacono G, Soresi M, D’Alcamo A, Cavataio F, Brusca I, Florena AM, Ambrosiano G, Seidita A, Pirrone G, Rini GB.Am J Gastroenterol. 2012 Jul 24. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2012.236.

7) Review article: the treatment of functional abdominal bloating and distension.Schmulson M, Chang L.Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2011 May;33(10):1071-86. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2011.04637.x. Epub 2011 Mar 29. Review.

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Deficiencies in Regulating C. Diff

Digestive Health, Disease / By Staff Writer

C. diff is a bacterial infection that spreads via fecal contamination and takes root once bad bacteria take over the intestinal bacteria balance. This infection creates a number of increasingly serious symptoms like diarrhea, weakness, cramping, and vomiting. It is a 100% preventable condition, but often times, a one-time C diff infection leads to long-term complications, health risks, or death.

Few hospitals and caregiver centers take the necessary action to prevent C. diff outbreaks. The negligence occurs primarily due to budgetary restrictions. However, the implications are dire. Every year thousands of patients lose their lives to C. diff infections, which invade their digestive system, spreading spores taking over, and working against good and bacteria. Antibiotics further the spread, preliminarily killing off the good bacteria needed to combat the digestive tract infection.

Take a probiotic like EndoMune Advanced Probiotic when taking a antibiotic may help prepare your gut to combat serious infections like C. diff. The risk of approaching these infections with too light an attitude is dire. In the article linked below, you’ll learn about the ways C. diff has been spreading in hospitals and the basic steps that can be taken to prevent future infection incidents.

Article

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