Yogurt can help lose excess weight

Taking probiotics after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery can help obese patients to lose weight more quickly, according to a new study. Probiotics are the so-called ‘good’ bacteria found in yogurt as well as in over-the-counter dietary supplements that help in the digestion of food.

New research from the Stanford University School of Medicine and Stanford Hospital & Clinics suggests that patients who take probiotics after the gastric-bypass procedure tend to shed more pounds than those who don't take the supplements.

"Surprisingly, the probiotic group attained a significantly greater percent of excess weight loss than that of control group," said John Morton, MD, associate professor of surgery at the medical school who wrote the paper with lead author Gavitt Woodard, a third-year medical student, and five other medical students at the Surgery Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation in Stanford''s Department of Surgery.

The researchers followed 44 patients on whom Morton had performed the procedure from 2006 to 2007. Patients were randomized into either a probiotic or a control group. Both groups received the same bariatric medical care and nutritional counseling, as well as the support of weight-loss study groups. Both groups also were allowed to consume yogurt, a natural source of probiotics.

In addition, the probiotic group consumed one pill per day of Puritan''s Pride, a probiotic supplement that is available online and in many stores. Morton has no financial ties to the company that makes the supplement. The study showed that at three months, the probiotics group registered a 47.6 percent weight loss, compared with a 38.5 percent for the control group.

The study also found that levels of vitamin B-12 were higher in the patients taking probiotics — a significant finding because patients often are deficient in B-12 after gastric-bypass surgery. The probiotics group had B-12 levels of 1,214 picograms per milliliter at three months, compared with the control group''s levels of 811 pg/mL. Morton said he now recommends probiotic supplements to his patients, and he plans to continue to look for ways to enhance the outcomes from the procedure. The study has been published in the July issue of the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery – The Times of India

A Bacterium a Day Keeps the Doctor Away! – 3

Prebiotics, too

Another way to promote the growth of probiotic bacteria is to take in food they feed on. This is prebiotics. A prebiotic is a molecule that can reach the colon intact to be used by probiotic bacteria. They are mostly non-digestible, naturally occurring sugars that are broken down by certain microbes. Examples of such food are artichokes, chicory root, garlic, banana, onion and asparagus root.

Prebiotics can help maintain the good balance in the digestive system by encouraging the growth of probiotic bacteria.

Just the Beginning

The discovery of probiotics and prebiotics in food is just the beginning. Scientists are continuously researching for more bacteria strains that can help our bodies. One day, we will have a whole range of prebiotic food ingredients. More break-through in research is envisioned. Indeed, bacteria can do wonders for our bodies, don’t you agree?

A Bacterium a Day Keeps the Doctor Away! – 1

Good morning to all, specially to mothers! This topic of mine is i know very important specially to your kids. As you not following your kids most of the time, they should be aware of everything specially when they are eating outside the house.

Bacteria. The mere mention of it connotes bad little germs responsible for those blows dealt to our body—that stomachache, that ugly rash, and other diseases and infections. Yes, like its cousin the virus, bacteria can be harmful. But do you know that not all bacteria are bad? “Probiotic” or good bacteria can do wonders for our bodies.

Right in Our Bodies

If we can just look right inside our digestive system—the stomach, the intestines and colon—we will find a host of bacteria ambling about. They number in billions, ten times more than the number of cells in the body. They first appeared within hours of our birth. Also called intestinal flora, these bacteria belong to more than 400 species. The good ones help us digest food, take in nutrients and process waste. The bad ones, also called “pathogenic” bacteria, wreak havoc in our system if not checked, pathogenic bacteria. They function in a number of ways. Some probiotic bacteria combat harmful microbes by secreting acids that are deadly to them. Others counter the production of certain mutagenic compounds that lead to cancer. Some also produce essential B vitamins such as niacin, folic acid, biotin and pyridoxine, or digestive enzymes like lactase, which breaks down milk and sugars. Probiotic bacteria also strengthens the immune system of our body.

Like in any society, the good and bad bacteria live together, competing with each other and checking the number and types of microbes present. The key is balance, and when this balance is achieved, the digestive system can work effectively.

Once in a while, this balance is tipped when stress comes in or fatigue sets in. A diet lacking in nutrients as well as a meal with unfamiliar foods can also upset this system. Antibiotics, disease and eating unclean food (those with Salmonella, etc.) can also have a disastrous effect. In all these cases, the pathogenic bacteria multiply in number and overpower the probiotics, causing diarrhea, abdominal pain and even ulcer, chronic gastritis and cancer.