involve multiple strains and species of bacteria (as well as probably a yeast).

They conclude that a beneficial effect of probiotics on chronic stress induced gut dysfunction was demonstrated. Yet, isn’t it amazing that there are still doctors who don’t believe stress has an adverse affect on gut function or that bacteria, yeast and food in the gut also play important roles in disease. Instead doctors, including me, often turn to medications to treat

Zareie et al in Toronto, Ontario, Canada report finding that probiotics prevent chronic stress induced intestinal abnormalities in male Brown Norway rats. This is quite intriguing given the recurrent link of stress to gut inflammation and bowel diseases. Stress is commonly believed to be associated with an increased risk of development of various bowel disorders such as celiac disease, colitis, Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome as well as flare of these conditions though proof of this link is limited. However, Zareie and colleagues write “the influence of chronic stress on intestinal dysfunction and clinical outcome of chronic intestinal disorders is recognized…stress is an important risk factor for both development and the reactivation of intestinal inflammation in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).”

To study how probiotics might influence the effect of adverse stress on the gut they utilized “genetically susceptible rodent models” where “chronic psychological stress induces mucosal dysfunction via increased epithelial ion secretion and permeability, enhancing binding of luminal antigens…and initiation of mucosal inflammation.” In other words, they stressed rats through a form of water torture if you will to produce a leaky gut that allows passage of bad bacteria through the bowel and triggering inflammation. However, when they administered probiotics containing two Lactobacilli strains to the rats less bacteria got through the bowel wall and into the mesenteric lymph nodes of the rats. Though they could not prove pre-treatment with the probiotics reduced intestinal permeability or decreased leaky gut, markers of gut barrier dysfunction were reduced. They correctly point out that only two strains of Lactobacilli were used and the protective effect of probiotics on the gut is known to involve multiple strains and species of bacteria (as well as probably a yeast).

They conclude that a beneficial effect of probiotics on chronic stress induced gut dysfunction was demonstrated. Yet, isn’t it amazing that there are still doctors who don’t believe stress has an adverse affect on gut function or that bacteria, yeast and food in the gut also play important roles in disease. Instead doctors, including me, often turn to medications to treat

of these conditions though proof of this link is limited. However, Zareie and colleagues write “the influence of chronic stress on intestinal dysfunction and clinical outcome of chronic intestinal disorders is recognized…stress is an important risk factor for both development and the reactivation of intestinal inflammation in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).”

To study how probiotics might influence the effect of adverse stress on the gut they utilized “genetically susceptible rodent models” where “chronic psychological stress induces mucosal dysfunction via increased epithelial ion secretion and permeability, enhancing binding of luminal antigens…and initiation of mucosal inflammation.” In other words, they stressed rats through a form of water torture if you will to produce a leaky gut that allows passage of bad bacteria through the bowel and triggering inflammation. However, when they administered probiotics containing two Lactobacilli strains to the rats less bacteria got through the bowel wall and into the mesenteric lymph nodes of the rats. Though they could not prove pre-treatment with the probiotics reduced intestinal permeability or decreased leaky gut, markers of gut barrier dysfunction were reduced. They correctly point out that only two strains of Lactobacilli were used and the protective effect of probiotics on the gut is known to involve multiple strains and species of bacteria (as well as probably a yeast).

They conclude that a beneficial effect of probiotics on chronic stress induced gut dysfunction was demonstrated. Yet, isn’t it amazing that there are still doctors who don’t believe stress has an adverse affect on gut function or that bacteria, yeast and food in the gut also play important roles in disease. Instead doctors, including me, often turn to medications to treat

y utilized “genetically susceptible rodent models” where “chronic psychological stress induces mucosal dysfunction via increased epithelial ion secretion and permeability, enhancing binding of luminal antigens…and initiation of mucosal inflammation.” In other words, they stressed rats through a form of water torture if you will to produce a leaky gut that allows passage of bad bacteria through the bowel and triggering inflammation. However, when they administered probiotics containing two Lactobacilli strains to the rats less bacteria got through the bowel wall and into the mesenteric lymph nodes of the rats. Though they could not prove pre-treatment with the probiotics reduced intestinal permeability or decreased leaky gut, markers of gut barrier dysfunction were reduced. They correctly point out that only two strains of Lactobacilli were used and the protective effect of probiotics on the gut is known to involve multiple strains and species of bacteria (as well as probably a yeast).

They conclude that a beneficial effect of probiotics on chronic stress induced gut dysfunction was demonstrated. Yet, isn’t it amazing that there are still doctors who don’t believe stress has an adverse affect on gut function or that bacteria, yeast and food in the gut also play important roles in disease. Instead doctors, including me, often turn to medications to treat

istered probiotics containing two Lactobacilli strains to the rats less bacteria got through the bowel wall and into the mesenteric lymph nodes of the rats. Though they could not prove pre-treatment with the probiotics reduced intestinal permeability or decreased leaky gut, markers of gut barrier dysfunction were reduced. They correctly point out that only two strains of Lactobacilli were used and the protective effect of probiotics on the gut is known to involve multiple strains and species of bacteria (as well as probably a yeast).

They conclude that a beneficial effect of probiotics on chronic stress induced gut dysfunction was demonstrated. Yet, isn’t it amazing that there are still doctors who don’t believe stress has an adverse affect on gut function or that bacteria, yeast and food in the gut also play important roles in disease. Instead doctors, including me, often turn to medications to treat

involve multiple strains and species of bacteria (as well as probably a yeast).

They conclude that a beneficial effect of probiotics on chronic stress induced gut dysfunction was demonstrated. Yet, isn’t it amazing that there are still doctors who don’t believe stress has an adverse affect on gut function or that bacteria, yeast and food in the gut also play important roles in disease. Instead doctors, including me, often turn to medications to treat the symptoms or try to heal the inflammation after it is already well established. By the time we start prescribing medication there is often an irreversible state of self-perpetuation and one or more secondary autoimmune diseases may be present that also require life long medications and are associated with complications that result in suffering, disability or premature death.

References: Gut microflora associated characteristics in children with celiac disease. Tjellstr?m, B, et al. American Journal of Gastroenterology 2005; 100; 2784-2788

Bacterial antigens alone can influence intestinal barrier integrity, but live bacteria are required for initiation of intestinal inflammation and injury. Sydora, B. et al Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 2006; 12:429-436.

VSL#3 probiotic preparation has the capacity to hydrolyze gliadin polypeptides responsible for Celiac Sprue. De Angelis M. et al. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2006; 1762(1): 80-93

Probiotics prevent bacterial translocation and improve barrier function in rats following chronic psychological stress. Zariee, M. et al Gut 206; 55:1553-1560.

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