Other Beneficial Effects

• 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 al¹² assessed the effects of Wakunaga's Probiotics 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.