Probiotic Supplements - Read If You Have Ever Taken Antibiotics

Probiotics are small organisms that help maintain the natural balance of other organism in the intestines. Probiotics may be a safe and "natural" approach that helps curb the population of unwanted bacteria that cause microbial infections. The largest group of probiotic bacteria in the intestine is lactic acid bacteria.

A human's digestive tract ranges from 25-35 feet and houses over 400 species of bacteria. In total there are over a 100 billion organisms in our digestive tract. A person taking antibiotics is equivalent to pouring bleach into a fish tank to kill an overgrowth of algae. The bleach not only kills the algae but everything else that is present in that environment. It is necessary for people taking antibiotics to alternate with probiotics because antibiotics kill beneficial bacteria along with the bacteria causing the illness.

Favorable bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidus counter the sanitizing effects of antibiotic therapy. Other probiotics that can be found in supplemental form include: Lactobacillus Plantarum, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, Lactobacillus Casei, Streptococcus Faecuim, and Bifidobacterium Infantif. A decrease in beneficial bacteria can lead to diarrhea, urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and other infections. Probiotics taken between antibiotic courses help repopulate the digestive tract with the good bacteria, which help control the growth of unwanted bacteria.

Despite diet strategies that seek to replenish friendly bacterial cultures to the lower tract, the aging process often depletes our reserves or inhibits their growth more quickly than we can restore them. Moreover, prolonged illness, antibiotics, synthetic laxatives and other medications can actually destroy these bacterial cultures within us, compromising our Digestive and Immune Systems. This form of probiotic is beneficial for everyone.

Research indicates probiotics may help reduce:

• Bloating and diarrhea cause by lactose intolerance
• Diarrhea as a result of taking antibiotics
• Inflammatory bowel disease causing abdominal pain