Probiotics News and Research

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Investigators examine effectiveness of probiotics for cancer treatment

One may not think of probiotics -- like those found in yogurt that promote good digestive health -- as a weapon used in the fight against cancer. But that is the focus of investigators at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, who are examining the effectiveness of probiotics as they relate to the outcomes of bone marrow transplant for patients with blood cancers.

21 Mar 2013

Probiotics help stress-associated gastrointestinal disorders, study says

For those with irritable bowel syndrome who wonder if stress aggravates their intestinal disorder, a new University of Michigan Health System study shows it's not all in their head.

15 Mar 2013

Scientists take important step toward designing a uniform protocol for microbiome research

Earth Day may be more than a month away, but another, more personal, ecosystem has been shown to also be worth protecting-within our bodies are communities of microbes that affect the behavior of human cells hosting them.

1 Mar 2013

Reintroducing normal microbial diversity can eliminate VRE from intestinal tracts

Too much antibiotic can decimate the normal intestinal microbiota, which may never recover its former diversity. That, in turn, renders the GI tract vulnerable to being colonized by pathogens. Now researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, and Centro Superior de Investigaci-n en Salud P-blica, Valencia, Spain, show that reintroducing normal microbial diversity largely eliminated vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from the intestinal tracts of mice..

28 Feb 2013

Natural probiotic supplement can help male mice produce healthier bones

In what could be an early step toward new treatments for people with osteoporosis, scientists at Michigan State University report that a natural probiotic supplement can help male mice produce healthier bones.

16 Feb 2013

Probiotics shows promise in reducing both incidence and severity of necrotizing enterocolitis

"Good" bacteria that live in our intestines have been linked with a variety of health benefits, from fighting disease to preventing obesity. In a new study, Kriston Ganguli of Massachusetts General Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School and her colleagues have discovered another advantage to these friendly microscopic tenants: Chemicals secreted by good bacteria that typically live in the intestines of babies could reduce the frequency and severity of a common and often-lethal disease of premature infants.

14 Feb 2013

Parenteral nutrition safety: an interview with Dr. Phil Ayers, A.S.P.E.N PN Safety Task Force Chair and Dr. Peggi Guenter, Director of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.)

Parenteral nutrition is intravenous nutrition for patients who are unable to eat or be tube fed. It is used with more than 300,000 patients per year - a quarter of whom are children and newborns.

11 Feb 2013

Probiotic supplements can benefit body during and after antibiotic use

Recent data suggests that the average American is bombarded with up to 5,000 varying media messages on a daily basis, which can make it tricky to discern fact from fiction. When it comes to your health, there should be absolutely no doubt that the products you select are effectively working to produce the desired results. This is especially true when it comes to the use of probiotics with antibiotics, because some forms are less effective when combined with antibiotics.

19 Dec 2012

Altered gut microbiota associated with symptomatic atherosclerosis and stroke

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, demonstrate that an altered gut microbiota in humans is associated with symptomatic atherosclerosis and stroke.

15 Dec 2012

Children with HIV more likely to develop atherosclerosis

Children with HIV have a 2.5 fold increased risk of atherosclerosis, according to research presented at EUROECHO and other Imaging Modalities 2012. Antiretroviral treatment, lipid lowering drugs and prevention with healthy lifestyles are needed to prevent early death from cardiovascular disease.

5 Dec 2012

Feeding probiotics to baby zebrafish accelerates their development into adulthood

Probiotics like those found in yogurt are not only good for people--they are also good for fish. A new study by scientists at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology found that feeding probiotics to baby zebrafish accelerated their development and increased their chances of survival into adulthood.

4 Dec 2012

Probiotic formulation can reduce cholesterol esters

Two daily doses of a probiotic lowered key cholesterol-bearing molecules in the blood as well as "bad" and total cholesterol, in a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012.

6 Nov 2012

Probiotic supplementation improves health-related quality of life during common cold

College students are notoriously sleep-deprived, live in close quarters and lead stress-filled lives, making them especially susceptible for contracting colds and upper-respiratory infections. For these reasons, a team lead by researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Health Related Professions (UMDNJ-SHRP) selected this population to study the effects of probiotic supplementation on health-related quality of life (HRQL) during the common cold.

24 Oct 2012

C. diff infections on the rise among children, elderly

Clostridium difficile infections are becoming more common and more severe in hospitalized children and the elderly, in large part due to greater use of antibiotics, Mayo Clinic researchers report in studies being presented at the American College of Gastroenterology annual meeting.

23 Oct 2012

FOS prebiotic could replace intravenous feeding in pediatric patients with intestinal failure

Adding the right prebiotic to the diets of pediatric patients with intestinal failure could replace intravenous feeding, says a new University of Illinois study.

16 Oct 2012

Cardioviva can help fill the gap between diet, exercise and drugs

Over half (52 percent) of supplement users are concerned about their heart health and 73 percent express an interest in natural, clinically proven solutions for cholesterol reduction, according to market research conducted by Micropharma Limited, a pioneer in the development of innovative and effective probiotics.

12 Oct 2012

Friendly bacteria: do we really need to eat probiotic yogurts?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) probiotics are “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host”.

19 Sep 2012

Study sheds light on how high-fibre diet affects the gut environment

Savvy consumers and health professionals know that fibre is an essential nutrient associated with important health benefits, yet barriers such as overall poor tolerance to higher-fibre diets may be why average intake is far less than experts recommend.

7 Sep 2012

'Fight' between bacteria in the intestines linked to chronic disease

Results from a study conducted at Georgia State University suggest that a "fight" between bacteria normally living in the intestines and the immune system, kicked off by another type of bacteria, may be linked to two types of chronic disease.

3 Aug 2012

Study explores role of L. reuteri against foodborne infection

While many bacteria exist as aggressive pathogens, causing diseases ranging from tuberculosis and cholera, to plague, diphtheria and toxic shock syndrome, others play a less malevolent role and some are critical for human health.

21 Jul 2012