ScorpioChiq
04-06-2011, 04:50 PM
I am knee deep in research for a health book that I am currently helping to write and I thought I would share some of the studies/info on probiotics.
A 2010 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that probiotic bacteria improves insulin sensitivity by doing exactly that, reducing systemic inflammation. In a double-blinded study, forty-five males with type 2 diabetes, impaired or normal glucose tolerance were enrolled in a 4-week treatment course and given either an acidophilus pill (friendly gut bacteria) or a placebo. They found that insulin sensitivity was preserved among the group taking acidophilus, whereas it decreased in the placebo group. While the inflammatory markers tested went unchanged, insulin sensitivity did improve with no other changes in diet or activity levels.
Research from the Mayo Clinic (April 2008) found that metabolic activities of gut flora facilitate the extraction of calories from ingested dietary substances. Furthermore, they found that gut bacterial flora of obese mice and humans include fewer Bacteroidetes and correspondingly more Firmicutes (both a type of bacteria) than that of their lean counterparts, suggesting that differences in the way the body processes calories are impacted by the bacteria in your gut. These findings raise the question that gut flora may play a key role in regulating weight. The human body, consisting of about 100 trillion cells, carries about ten times as many microorganisms in the intestines and GI tract. And anything that affects nutrition absorption in turn impacts the expenditure of calories.
However not all probiotics are made equal. Look for a supplement with 10 to 15 billion cells per capsule and take 1-2 on rising, before breakfast. For the first month I recommend taking it upon rising and right before bed (both empty stomach). If you get a little gassy or bloated you can start slower. I am a fan of Ultra Flora Plus (dairy free) by Metagenics or Multi-Probiotic 4000 by Douglas Labs. I have used at least a dozen types of probiotics before but these ones are so good that both Praetorian and I actually notice a huge difference as soon as we run out. Next to a high potency fish oil (4-6 grams per day) and 4000 iu of vitamin D daily, I would put probiotics as an absolute MUST HAVE in your supplement arsenal.
A 2010 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that probiotic bacteria improves insulin sensitivity by doing exactly that, reducing systemic inflammation. In a double-blinded study, forty-five males with type 2 diabetes, impaired or normal glucose tolerance were enrolled in a 4-week treatment course and given either an acidophilus pill (friendly gut bacteria) or a placebo. They found that insulin sensitivity was preserved among the group taking acidophilus, whereas it decreased in the placebo group. While the inflammatory markers tested went unchanged, insulin sensitivity did improve with no other changes in diet or activity levels.
Research from the Mayo Clinic (April 2008) found that metabolic activities of gut flora facilitate the extraction of calories from ingested dietary substances. Furthermore, they found that gut bacterial flora of obese mice and humans include fewer Bacteroidetes and correspondingly more Firmicutes (both a type of bacteria) than that of their lean counterparts, suggesting that differences in the way the body processes calories are impacted by the bacteria in your gut. These findings raise the question that gut flora may play a key role in regulating weight. The human body, consisting of about 100 trillion cells, carries about ten times as many microorganisms in the intestines and GI tract. And anything that affects nutrition absorption in turn impacts the expenditure of calories.
However not all probiotics are made equal. Look for a supplement with 10 to 15 billion cells per capsule and take 1-2 on rising, before breakfast. For the first month I recommend taking it upon rising and right before bed (both empty stomach). If you get a little gassy or bloated you can start slower. I am a fan of Ultra Flora Plus (dairy free) by Metagenics or Multi-Probiotic 4000 by Douglas Labs. I have used at least a dozen types of probiotics before but these ones are so good that both Praetorian and I actually notice a huge difference as soon as we run out. Next to a high potency fish oil (4-6 grams per day) and 4000 iu of vitamin D daily, I would put probiotics as an absolute MUST HAVE in your supplement arsenal.