Probiotics

-
An area of interest in medical nutrition therapy that has been growing recently is the use of probiotics.  It has been suggested that alterations to the natural gut microbiome could contribute to several diseases such as diarrhea, constipation, food allergies, certain cancers, and even autoimmune issues such as inflammatory bowel disease. The idea of using probiotics to both treat and prevent these issues is not new. The link between gut health and yogurt consumption has been documented for almost 100 years. However, the supplementation of probiotics is an emerging field of MNT.
            Probiotics have been shown to be beneficial for antibiotic-associated, traveler’s, and infectious types of diarrhea. Gastroenteritis causes diarrhea that typically lasts for several days. Probiotics have been shown to shorten the duration and should be used in combination with oral rehydration therapy. Supplementation of L. plantarum in patients with irritable bowel syndrome have shown significant decreases in abdominal symptoms such as pain, bloating, and flatulence. The cause of inflammatory bowel disease is not clearly understood but one suspected cause is a disturbance in intestinal flora. Probiotic supplementation has been shown to reduce flares and even lowered the need for glucocorticoids in those with IBD.
            Probiotic supplementations has been shown to be beneficial in many disease states. More research is needed to understand the full impact that probiotics can have as a part of medical nutrition therapy.
SG 

Brown AC, Valiere A. Nutrition in clinical care: an official publication of Tufts University. Nutr    Clin Care. 2004;7(2):56-68. PMCID: PMC1482314.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are All Sugars Created Equal?

-
Image
Are All Sugars Created Equal?  I think one of the most confusing nutrition topics for people is sugar. With so many conflicting stories out there, it’s difficult to separate the facts from the fiction. Not to mention, the types of sugars are endless. How do we know what’s best for our bodies? White or brown sugar? Cane or raw? Should we just go with Stevia instead? Is it even okay to consume artificial sweeteners? Should we avoid foods with high amounts of natural sugar in them? Each answer only seems to lead to another question!  Let’s start off with distinguishing the purpose of sugar in the first place. Do our bodies even need it? The short answer is yes! Sugars are carbohydrates (what we commonly call “carbs”), one of the three main macronutrients that our bodies need for fuel to function and survive. One of the major ways to categorize sugar is by separating the “natural” sugars from the “added” sugars. Natural sugars are, well, naturally found in foods. They give us the energy th
Read more

Milk Mythbusters

-
Image
Just like with any nutrition topic, the facts about milk can become convoluted pretty quickly. Whether you drink milk for the protein, the nutrients, the flavor, or just like to switch it up, there are pros and cons to every kind. Here are some quick nutritional facts about each type to help you decide which is best for you. Animal-Based Milks  Whole Milk: The original diary drink. It gets a bad rap, but what whole milk has going for it, is that it’s in its proper nutritional form. Whole milk contains all of its original fat-soluble vitamins, A, E, D, & K, along with the fat to help you absorb them all. It also has the proper concentrations and ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids, or your omega-3s and omega-6s, so that they are metabolized as they should be. The downside is that whole milk is calorically dense, meaning that a little goes a long way. You don’t need much to get what you need, so just don’t overdo it!  2% Milk: The fat content of 2% milk is about half of that in who
Read more