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Bifidobacterium Bifidum
While bacteria can cause serious infections, the
vast majority of them are not only helpful, but
necessary for good health. As long as the good
bacteria in our bodies win the war of numbers
against those which are harmful, both our immune
systems and digestive tracts will benefit.
Among the most ferocious warriors in this army
of advantageous microbes is a type of probiotic
called bifidobacterium bifidum, which inhabits
the colon and vagina. Its job is to maintain the
micro flora balance within the intestines,
control the increase of detrimental bacteria,
bolster the immune system, and aid in the
digestive process.[1] Research is currently
ongoing to clarify the role of bifidobacterium
bifidum in treating certain health conditions
and the best way to increase the production of
helpful colonies of this probiotic within the
human body.
Several of these studies center on infant
nutrition and the role that bifidobacterium
bifidum can play in increasing the immune
response of premature or weakened digestive
systems in the tiniest among us. A study done
concerning the effects of bifidobacterium
bifidus on neonatal necrotizing entercolitis
(NEC), one of the chief causes of death in
premature babies, showed some promising results.
The study was done on a premature rat
population, who were placed under conditions
which caused the development of NEC. In this
controlled study, bifidobacterium bifidus caused
a reduction in NEC occurrence from fifty-seven
percent in the control group to seventeen
percent in the study group. This suggests that
bifidobacterium bifidus, which is prevalent in
breast milk, might reduce inflammation and
regulate the mucus layer to improve digestion in
infants.[2]
Another intriguing study, concerning the effect
of bifidobacterium bifidus in controlling
allergic diseases, involved newborns of families
with a history of eczema. A probiotic compound
including bifidobacterium bifidus was given to a
group of mothers before delivery and to their
babies for a year afterwards. The control group
received no probiotic treatment. The prevalence
of eczema in the placebo group was much higher
than that of the intervention group until the
babies were three months old, and the preventive
effects lasted in the intervention group until
their second birthday.[3]
Current research has also shown that
bifidobacterium bifidum might be useful in
managing allergic reactions. When researchers
gave mice an oral dose of this probiotic to test
its effect on the production of immunoglobulin E
in mice, they discovered that there was a strong
suppressive action. They concluded that
bifidobacterium bifidum could be a great weapon
in controlling diseases caused by allergic
response.[4]
As the scientific community continues to
investigate this probiotic powerhouse, it is
important to note that oral bifidobacterium
bifidum has not been approved by the Food and
Drug Administration. Currently, some in the
medical community do recommend it specifically
for intestinal regularity and maintenance. Those
with severe digestive system disorders or blood
in the stool should discuss these with their
physician before using this probiotic. Although
no side effects have been reported,
bifidobacterium bifidum pregnant and lactating
women will need to consult with their
physicians, who may not recommend any use of
this probiotic during these phases, as it could
possibly be passed through the breast milk of
the mother to her infant.[5]
References:
1. Montrose DC, Floch MH.. Probiotics used in
human studies. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2005 Jul;
39(6):469-84.
2. Ludmila Khailova, Katerina Dvorak, Kelly M.
Arganbright, Melissa D. Halpern,
Kinouchi, Masako Yajima, and Bohuslav Dvorak
Bifidobacterium bifidum improves
intestinal integrity in a rat model of
necrotizing enterocolitis Am J Physiol
Gastrointest Liver Physiol 297: G940-G949, 2009.
doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00141.2009.
3. Martín R, Rijkers G, Sengers F, Timmerman H,
van Uden N, Smidt H, Kimpen J, Hoekstra M. The
effects of selected probiotic strains on the
development of eczema (the PandA study).
Allergy. 2009 Sep; 64(9):1349-58. Epub 2009 Apr
9.
4. Ohno Hiroshi, Tsunemine Satoru, Isa Yasuhiro,
Shimakawa Masaki, Yamamuru Hideki. Oral
Administration Bifidobacterium bifidum G9-1
Suppresses Total and Antigen
SpecificImmunoglobulin E Production in Mice.
Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin
28(8)pp.1462-1466 20050801.
5. medicinenet.com/bifidobacterium_bifidum-oral/article.htm.
2009 Nov 21.
************************************
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