Other Beneficial Effects

• Inhibit Growth of Pathogens

• Enhance Growth of Friendly Bacteria

• Reduce Toxins

• Increase Immunity or Resistance to Infections

• Produce Vitamins & Nutrients

• Reduce Cholesterol

• Alleviate Flatulence

Inhibit Growth of Pathogenic Bacteria

Lactic acid bacteria have been shown to inhibit the growth of pathogenic or disease-causing bacteria and their production of toxins (4,6,7,10,11,19). Acidophilus bacteria have a superior capability of producing lactic acid as well as anti-bacteria substances, thus suppressing harmful bacteria (4,6,7,10).  B. bifidum particularly protect the body from harmful bacteria by adhering to the intestinal mucosae,6 by producing acetic acid,4,6,7,10,11 and by activating macrophages, which also produce substances that suppress harmful bacteria.4,6,11 L. acidophilus also activates macrophages but its effect is weaker than B. bifiidum.6 Yamashita et al.12 found that germ-free rats orally given Wakunaga's B. bifidum and L. acidophilus in a combination product in conjunction with E. coli suppressed the growth of E. coli by several logs in the small intestine. (E. coli went from 108 ® 1010 without and 108 ® 106 with friendly bacteria). When Wakunaga's B. bifidum and L. acidophilus were given prior to E. coli, they also prevented the decay of the villi lining the intestinal tract.11

Wakunaga's Probiotics have also shown in vitro suppression of the growth of Clostridium, S. aureus, proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia mar-cescens, fungi and bacteroids (see figures below).7,12 

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Enhance Growth of Other Friendly Bacteria

Wakunaga's B. bifidum and L. acidophilus (in combination with S. Faecalis) were found to enhance the growth of friendly bacteria, such as L. plantarum (as seen in figure on the left) which are normally suppressed by the intake of a high meat diet.12

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Reduce Toxins

Wakunaga's Probiotics have been shown to suppress the production of harmful substances such as ammonia, indole, phenols and hydrogen sulfide, which are carcinogenic and damaging to the liver (4,12,13). Wakunaga's Bifidobacteria "recycle" toxins such as ammonia by using it as an important source of nitrogen for their own protein synthesis during their growth phase (see figure on the right).13,14 Bifidobacterium and Acidophilus bacteria decompose nitrosamines and can also suppress the production of nitrosamines in the intestines.15

Yamamoto et al. assessed the effects of Wakunaga's B. bifidum and L. acidophilus on the in vitro growth of putrefactive bacteria of human source and their production of decomposed substances.12 Specifically, they measured the amounts of ammonia, indole, hydrogen sulfide and volatile phenols produced by the top six human source putrefying bacteria. The six toxin producers were Bacteroides uniformis, Acidaminococcus fermentans, Clostridium clostidiiforme, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Citrobacer freundii. Culturing these six strains with Wakunaga's B. bifidum and L. acidophilus, they found that B. bifidum suppressed the production of ammonia to a greater degree than L. acidophilus, but their combined effect (in combination with S. faecalis) was even greater on a wider variety of ammonia producing bacteria (see figures on the left and below). Wakunaga's Probiotics acidified the culturing medium and inhibited the growth of these toxin producers. When cultured with indole-producing bacteria, B. bifidum and L. acidophilus (in combination with S. faecalis) significantly decreased the production of indole and the growth of the bacteria which produced it (see figure on the right below). B. bifidum and L. acidophilus also significantly suppressed the production of hydrogen sulfide and volatile phenols and their combination was more effective than their single effects.

Yamashita et al.12 assessed the effects of Wakunaga's B. bifidum and L. acidophilus (in combination with S. faecalis) on the in vivo growth of bacteria and their production of decomposed substances. A high protein (dried beef) diet increases the production of putrefactive substances in the intestinal tract and faeces. On such a diet, ammonia production increases almost three-fold and indole production increased almost five-fold. When Wakunaga's Probiotics were taken in conjunction with the high protein diet, the production of ammonia was significantly suppressed. On a casein (milk protein) diet, Wakunaga's Probiotics reduce ammonia production in the intestinal tract 20-40% and portal vein production 17% compared to controls. Thus, Wakunaga's Probiotics suppress the protein-induced increase in putrefactive substances produced in the intestinal tract. The beef diet also caused an increase in pathogenic bacteria and a decrease in lactobacilli, whereas pathogenic bacteria remained the same and lactobacilli increased when diets were fortified with Wakunaga's Probiotics. 

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Increase Immunity/Bacterial Resistance

Lactic acid bacteria have been shown to enhance immune response, increasing resistance to infection.4,6,11,16-20,34 Wakunaga's Bifidobacteria and L. acidophilus have been shown to activate macrophages which produce substances that suppress harmful bacteria.4,6,11 L. acidophilus has been shown to improve macrophage phagocytic capacity, or the ability of these immune cells to engulf and remove foreign organisms. Supplementation of Lactobacillus acidophilus in diets has been shown to enhance the clearance or removal of the intraveniously injected gram-negative bacterium, E.coli.16 L. acidophilus intake also doubled the amount of Kupffer (immune) cells, which are responsible for the clearance of circulating bacteria.16 Consumption of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum together caused a four-fold increase in IgA (Immunoglobulin A) against Salmonella typhi Ty21a when human subjects consumed bacteria prior to infection with this organism.17 Secretory IgA is an immunoglobulin which protects the mucosal lining of the intestinal tract by coating pathogens and hindering their attachment to the mucosa.17,18 Even if live bacteria reach the intestines as dead bacteria, or as live bacteria which have died from exposure to gastric acid, bile or intestinal juice, the bacteria components, such as the cell walls of the lactic acid bacteria, are absorbed into the body, thus enhancing the defense mechanism.16,19 

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Produce Vitamins and Other Nutritional Factors

Wakunga's L. acidophilus and B. bifidum have been shown to produce vitamin B1.6 Further, L. acidophilus may support absorption of B1 by suppressing the growth of aneurinase bacteria, which decompose vitamin B1.6 Following oral administration of Bifidobacterium in infants, increased numbers of this bacteria in the intestinal tract resulted in two to three-fold increases in vitamin B1 production.6,21 Bifidobacterium are also capable of producing B6, B9, B12 , folic acid and assorted amino acids.19.22,23

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Reduce Cholesterol 

Several studies have suggested a cholesterol lowering effect from lactic acid bacteria.4,6,19,24-26 Intestinal bacteria have been shown to convert cholesterol into a less absorbable form (coprostanol) thus hampering its absorption from the intestinal tract.24 Bottle-fed infants have been shown to have lower serum cholesterol levels when lactobacilli predominate in their gut.24 Subjects consuming dairy products with lactic acid cultures have experienced reduced cholesterol levels, whereas uncultured dairy products showed no such effect.25 B. bifidum and L. acidophilus, specifically, have been shown to decompose cholesterol in vitro, with B. bifidum showing the most significant effects.4,6 The growth of B. bifidum was found to be inversely related to the recovery rate of cholesterol so the more B. bifidum present, the less cholesterol found.6 Honma et al. showed that B. bifidum and L. acidophilus suppressed the synthesis of cholesterol by human lymphocytes by inhibiting an enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase), which synthesizes cholesterol.6 Intake of 3 x 1010 B. bifidum per day resulted in significant reductions in both total and LDL cholesterol.6 

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Alleviate Flatulence

Lactic acid bacteria have been shown to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and their production of toxins and gas.4,12,13,27 Variation in gas production and odor can be due to variations in resident bacteria in the intestinal tract (28-30). Taking lactic acid bacteria may have a twofold effect on gas production: 1) less hydrogen is produced in an acidic environment (31) (friendly bacteria produce lactic and acetic acid, reducing the pH of the intestinal tract (4,6,7) and 2) some friendly bacteria may alter the preexisting flora and thereby alter gas production and composition (27). Antibiotics, by altering intestinal bacteria, have been shown to both increase and decrease gas production.28 A pilot clinical study using Wakunaga's L. acidophilus and B. bifidum noted a decrease in flatulence in 42% or 15 of 36 subjects (8).

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