While the use of probiotics, in the form of dairy products, yogurts and fermented foods, goes back for ages it was not until the late 19th century that they began to be studied for their healthy and beneficial properties.
This initial work is credited to famed Russian researcher and Nobel Prize winner Ilya Mechnikov. One of the first probiotic strains that he isolated and studied was Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. It was named after the region of Bulgaria and was a strain found in the fermented sour milk consumed there. In fact, it is thought that his research into the field of probiotics was triggered by his observation that people in that area enjoyed longevity and strong intestinal health. He theorized that this phenomena was due in no small part to the fermented dairy products that they regularly consumed.
This one strain of probiotics, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, has been extensively studied and there are many, many health benefits credited to its use. These include, but are not limited to:
In the 100-plus years since the first study of probiotics there has been an explosion in the use of probiotic-containing foods, supplements and in medical condition specific uses. All in all there are literally dozens of supported health claims and benefits to the use of probiotics.
While the reasons why probiotics work, specifically in oral treatments, are covered in more depth throughout this website here is a brief summary of the underlying theory:
Our bodies are heavily dependent upon a complex mix of bacteria and microorganisms in order to survive and function. In fact for every human cell in our bodies there are 10 cells belonging to bacteria and microorganisms! Some people have even joked that humans developed as a means of transport for bacteria.
Now, it may be obvious but it is worth stating: Not all bacteria are bad and not all bacteria are good.
As is often found in nature, balance is important–some bacteria do not begin to demonstrate harmful effects, cause infections or create problems until an overgrowth or imbalance occurs.
In a simplified set of statements, it could be said that probiotics work by:
All three of these statements apply to the use of oral probiotics.
To date there have been a number of clinical studies done that support the beneficial use of oral probiotics.
The research is by no means close to complete. These types of tests are quite complex and it can take years to come to final conclusions and recommendations.
That being said, the results and conclusions to date are quite positive and certainly lend support to the healthy benefits possible from the use of oral probiotics.
Some of the great benefits that have found support so far include:
These are all powerful benefits and with no negative side effects yet demonstrated it makes solid sense to introduce oral probiotics into your daily routine.
It only takes a couple minutes, costs roughly 50 cents per day and our tablets taste great to boot! (Available in both fresh mint and yummy strawberry-vanilla natural flavors)
Give them a try. What have you got to lose, aside from bad breath, gum disease, tooth decay, painful dental repairs…
