Health Benefits of Probiotic Drinks

Recently my bf's buddy, hereafter referred to as S, is suffering from stomach discomfort and suspected he has stomach ulcer. So, with a reference letter from the local polyclinic, S went for a gastrointestinal endoscopy in the Singapore General Hospital. But before that, S was in such great discomfort, my bf suggested he drank Yakult to ease his pain. He immediately went downstairs to the nearest convenience store (7-eleven) to buy it, and drank it, and it worked, as what he said, his pain is somehow relieved.

Acidophilus (or lactobacillus acidophilus) is the most commonly-used good or friendly bacteria, which inhabit the intestines and vagina and protect against the entrance and proliferation of harmful organisms that can cause diseases. Probably, S's stomach or intestines are infected with some harmful bacteria, because it's later diagnosed that he is gladly stomach ulcer negative.

Then S did a research online and sent my bf an article on the miracle of acidophilus. A baby with a mysterious condition which causes his stomach to swell since birth for 11 months, has been cured by a probiotic drink. The doctor who cured the baby said, 'there is no doubt that some conditions can be improved by introducing healthy bacteria.'

'Many parents may feel that is the case. The difficulty we have with very small babies is whether it is entirely safe to do so.'

A spokesman for Yakult said: 'We are delighted that our product has helped in this circumstance.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1127396/How-I-cured-babys-mystery-illness-baffled-doctors-simple-yoghurt-drink.html#ixzz187nRwfCc

I then too, did a search on the benefits of acidophilus. Here are some of the potential therapeutic uses of acidophilus:

• Aids digestion and suppresses disease-causing bacteria.
• Treat overgrowth of bad organism in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Prevent and treat diarrhea, including the infectious diarrhea, particularly from the rotavirus.
• Alleviate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and possibly, inflammatory bowel disease.
• Replaces the friendly intestinal bacteria that are destroyed by antibiotics.
• Prevent and reduces the recurrence of vaginal yeast infection, urinary tract infections and cystitis.
• Improve lactose absorption in people who are lactose intolerant.
• Enhances the immune response. Studies suggest the consumption of yogurt and milk that contains specific strains of acidophilus supplements improve the natural immune response.
• Aids the treatment of respiratory infections such as sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Lower the risks of allergies such as asthma, hay fever, allergies to milk and skin reactions such as eczema.
• Help in treating high cholesterol. Deliver Yakult to your house!

Concerning the 3rd point, I have used acidophilus to treat serious constipation. I drank 3-5 bottles of Vitagen with Collagen at one go and my condition was alleviated shortly half to one hour later. I'm not sure how many bottles of Yakult or Vitagen is acceptable to drink a day. But I believe it's always best to strike a balance. So it's best to drink only 1-2 bottles per day unless you're in a similar desperate situation. The only known issue is that, yakult has 80% more sugar than soda. For example, Coca-Cola has 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams, whereas Yakult has 18 grams sugar per 100 grams.