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[bobf <bobford79 AT yahoo.com>]

I guess I'm the last person to hear of this new fad.  We have cleaned up and 
sterilized everuthing to such a point of purity that now food companies are 
'enhancing' their products -- and, I'm sure charging extra-- to sully them 
again with added bacteria.  From todays' WSJ

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JANUARY 13, 2009, 9:31 A.M. ET 

Bug Crazy: Assessing The Benefits of Probiotics 


By LAURA JOHANNES

Bacteria are everywhere, and in the view of many people that's a good thing.

Many medical experts believe that consuming healthy bacteria, called 
probiotics, improves the body's overall balance of good versus bad 
micro-organisms, boosting general health. But nutritionists warn that not all 
the probiotic-containing products found on store shelves provide the health 
benefits they claim.

Companies have sought to attract health-conscious consumers in recent years 
by putting probiotics in products as diverse as yogurt, juices, muffins and 
even pizza, as well as in dietary supplements. Last year, 231 new 
probiotic-containing products hit grocery and pharmacy shelves, up from just 
34 in 2005, according to market-research firm Datamonitor PLC.

 
Lindsay Holmes/The Wall Street Journal

Probiotics are found in products ranging from yogurt and ice cream to snacks 
and supplements.
To be sure, some regular foods contain healthy bacteria, from common yogurt 
to naturally fermented pickles. But pasteurization has eliminated much of the 
flora found in modern foods. The recent boom in probiotic products reflects 
an effort to re-introduce bacteria believed to promote good health. 
Probiotics are generally considered safe to eat, but scientists say people 
with immune deficiencies should consult their doctor first.

Companies that sell products with added probiotics claim they offer a range 
of health benefits, from helping with digestion to boosting the immune system 
and preventing cavities. Some of the claims are based on reputable scientific 
study. But others are unproved, and advertising pitches are sometimes 
exaggerated. The quality of probiotic supplements also varies widely. As a 
result, consumers might have a difficult time choosing among a host of 
products.

Of several hundred probiotic-product lines on the market in North America, 
"15 to 20 have clinical studies behind them," says Gregor Reid, a professor 
of microbiology at the University of Western Ontario's Lawson Research 
Institute.

Probiotics are defined as "live micro-organisms which when administered in 
adequate amounts confer a health benefit," according to 2002 guidelines 
developed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Exactly 
how this works isn't fully understood, but scientists believe that good types 
of bacteria have long lived in symbiosis with humans and that the positive 
health effects may have evolved over time.

In choosing a probiotic, consumers should look for products that list a 
specific strain of bacteria on their label or on a Web site. Look for three 
names -- in Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, for example, the final two letters 
identify the strain. The GG strain has been well tested scientifically and 
has shown health benefits. A product that simply uses the first two names may 
include a similar, but not identical, bacterium that doesn't have the same 
science behind it.

The best evidence is when the actual product -- not just the bacterium -- has 
been tested in humans. Such studies are sometimes posted on manufacturers' 
Web sites. Otherwise, consumers can do an Internet search of the specific 
bacterial strain to see if there is credible evidence of a product's health 
claims. This can take some legwork.

 Say, for example, you want information on the active bacteria in Activia, a 
probiotic-enhanced yogurt from Dannon Co. The product label identifies the 
strain as Bifidus Regularis, but this is only a marketing name. The Activia 
Web site, under the tab "for health-care professionals," links you to 
summaries of scientific papers that use the scientific name, Bifidobacterium 
animalis DN-173 010, which has been found to hasten digestion. For additional 
information, you can do an Internet search of that name and many of the 
scientific studies on the strain pop up.

Probiotic dietary supplements also may be confusing. In a 2006 study, 
ConsumerLab.com, which tests nutritional products, found that just eight of 
13 probiotic supplements met its quality standards. While there's no 
guarantee, consumers stand a better chance of getting quality products from 
well known, reputable manufacturers, scientists say.

Some additional tips when buying probiotic foods: Look for the word "live" on 
the package, since organisms killed by processing won't be helpful, says Gary 
B. Huffnagle, a professor at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann 
Arbor. Respecting the expiration date is particularly important, because even 
if a product still tastes good the bacteria may no longer be alive. For 
maximum benefit, scientists say, try to consume a variety of different 
bacteria, as each may contribute something slightly different.

Here are some claims probiotic manufacturers make for their products:

Faster Digestion: Dannon's Activia yogurt and Yoplait Yo-Plus yogurt, made by 
General Mills Inc., contain bacteria that have been shown in scientific 
studies to reduce "transit time" of waste through the intestines. Slow 
digestion isn't necessarily bad but can cause discomfort, such as bloating or 
constipation.

Dannon points to four published studies testing a formulation similar to its 
product in humans. General Mills says a large body of scientific evidence 
backs up the efficacy of the bacteria in Yo-Plus. And the company says a 
recent study, presented at a conference of the American College of 
Gastroenterology, found that a dairy drink with the same active ingredients 
as a four-ounce container of Yo-Plus reduced transit time to 21 hours from 31 
hours, compared with no change with a placebo. The study was funded by 
General Mills.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: This disorder, including cramping, abdominal pain, 
bloating, constipation and diarrhea, can be disabling. A scientific task 
force, which published its findings in the American Journal of 
Gastroenterology this month, concluded that certain probiotic bacteria -- 
primarily bifidobacteria -- have shown "some efficacy" in treating the 
condition.

One bacterium with solid science behind it is Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, 
the main ingredient in Procter & Gamble Co.'s Align dietary supplement. In a 
2006 published study, partially funded by P&G, a daily dose of the product 
was shown to relieve a wide range of symptoms better than a placebo.

Colic: When babies scream or cry with no apparent reason, it's called colic. 
A study of 83 infants, published last year in the journal Pediatrics found 
that five drops a day of a probiotic supplement from Sweden's BioGaia AB 
reduced median crying time from 197 minutes a day to 51 minutes. A control 
group of babies was given a liquid medication commonly used to treat colic 
but not widely viewed as effective; this group's crying fell to a median of 
145 minutes a day.

Immune Health: Studies have long found that probiotics help regulate the 
immune system on a biochemical level. A small but growing number of studies 
are showing concrete health benefits in humans. Among them is an Israeli 
study that looked at Lactobacillus reuteri 55730 and Bifidobacterium lactis 
Bb-12. Published in 2005 in Pediatrics, the three-month study of 201 infants 
found that babies fed with either of the two probiotic formulas had fewer 
episodes of fever and diarrhea than babies fed a control formula. Of the two 
bacteria, L. reuteri was more effective in preventing illness, the study 
found.

B. lactis Bb-12 is available in Yo-Plus yogurt and Nestle SA's Good Start 
Natural Cultures infant formula. The L. reuteri strain is in BioGaia's 
dietary supplements, as well as in Nestle's Boost Kid Essentials boxed dairy 
drink. The bacteria are in the straw and are intended to be ingested with the 
juice.

Other bacteria with scientifically demonstrated immune-health properties 
include Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001, the bacteria in Dannon's DanActive 
dairy drink, and L. rhamnosus GG, in Dannon's Danimals children's drink.

Oral Health: A small number of studies have found benefits for probiotics in 
preventing cavities and easing gum disease.

A two-week, 42-patient study published last year found that daily chewing of 
gum with BioGaia's L. reuteri strains improved gum health compared with a 
placebo gum. The study was funded in part by BioGaia. The gum product is not 
available in the U.S. But the company sells lozenges that BioGaia says it 
believes will be as effective as the gum.

A seven-month Finnish study of 594 children, published in 2001 in the journal 
Caries Research, found that children who drank milk infused with L. rhamnosus 
GG had significantly fewer cavities than those who drank regular milk. The 
study received funding from Valio Ltd., a Helsinki company that supplies the 
bacteria to food and dietary supplement companies, including Dannon for use 
in Danimals.

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea: Regular yogurt has long been used to stave 
off this unpleasant side effect of taking antibiotics. However, supplements 
and foods fortified with additional probiotics may provide further relief, 
scientists say. So far there is good scientific evidence for several strains, 
including L. rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii lyo, a yeast sold by 
France's Laboratoires Biocodex SA as a dietary supplement under the brand 
name Florastor. Dannon's DanActive drink has also been shown effective.

Write to Laura Johannes at laura.johannes AT wsj.com