Bifidobacterium reduce gut permeability

[Cort]

Here we have some evidence that pre-biotics containing bifidobacterium can be helpful in restoring gut permeability to normal levels and in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation ( at least in diabetic mice). Several hundred species of bifidobacterium exist. They are the lesser-known cousins of the acidophilus bacterium.

Gut. 2009 Aug;58(8):1091-103. Epub 2009 Feb 24. Links

Changes in gut microbiota control inflammation in obese mice through a mechanism involving GLP-2-driven improvement of gut permeability.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Obese and diabetic mice display enhanced intestinal permeability and metabolic endotoxaemia that participate in the occurrence of metabolic disorders. Our recent data support the idea that a selective increase of Bifidobacterium spp. reduces the impact of high-fat diet-induced metabolic endotoxaemia and inflammatory disorders. Here, we hypothesised that prebiotic modulation of gut microbiota lowers intestinal permeability, by a mechanism involving glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) thereby improving inflammation and metabolic disorders during obesity and diabetes.

RESULTS: Prebiotic-treated mice exhibited a lower plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cytokines, and a decreased hepatic expression of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. This decreased inflammatory tone was associated with a lower intestinal permeability and improved tight-junction integrity compared to controls. Finally, pharmacological GLP-2 treatment decreased gut permeability, systemic and hepatic inflammatory phenotype associated with obesity to a similar extent as that observed following prebiotic-induced changes in gut microbiota.

CONCLUSION: We found that a selective gut microbiota change controls and increases endogenous GLP-2 production, and consequently improves gut barrier functions by a GLP-2-dependent mechanism, contributing to the improvement of gut barrier functions during obesity and diabetes.

Some more on bifidobacterium http://www.raysahelian.com/bifidobacterium.html

Bifidobateria and Probiotics in Health and Disease

Like its better-known cousin acidophilus, the bifidobacteria group (often simply called bifidus) is considered a "probiotic." Bifidobacteria are one of the hundreds of beneficial bacteria that inhabit the body's intestinal tract, and help to fight off infection.
five
Probiotic bacteria with bifidobacteria are effective in preventing and reducing the severity of acute diarrhea in children. They are also useful in antibiotic associated diarrhea but not for elimination of Helicobacter pylori. In inflammatory bowel disease, especially ulcerative colitis, probiotics with bifidobacteria offer a safe alternative or addition to current therapy. Bifidobacteria have been used to prevent urogenital tract infection with benefit and, perhaps more intriguingly, to reduce atopy in children. Probiotics do not always work.

Bifidobacteria strains
Despite the generally accepted importance of bifidobacteria as probiotic components of the human intestinal microflora and their use in health promoting foods, there is only limited information about their phylogenetic position, physiology and underlying genetics. In the last few years numerous molecular approaches have emerged for the identification and characterization of bifidobacterial strains.

Bifidobacterium types or strains
Bifidobacterium adolescentis
bifidobacterium bifidum
Bifidobacterium breve
bifidobacterium infantis
B. lactis
bifidobacterium longum
Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum
B. pseudolongum

Bifidobacterium questions

Q. Are there any interactions with using a bifidobaterium supplement with 5-HTP supplement or lipoic acid?
A. I don't see any problems using bifidobateria with these supplements.

Health Benefit of Prebiotics for bifidobacteria growth
There is increasing awareness that bacteria in the human gut play an important role in maintaining health, both within the gastrointestinal tract and the rest of the body. One can increase the number of good bacteria in the body in two main ways: By taking probiotic supplements or eating yoghurt which directly supply good bacteria to the colon, or by ingesting prebiotics which help stimulate the growth of good bacteria.

 

[kolowesi]

bifidus

Thanks, Cort,

I really appreciate the way you highlight certain portions, makes it easier for me to take it in.

I've read that b. longum increases mucosal IgA and l. plantarum (different bug) decreases IgE. Think I will go to the store and see what they have.

Kelly

 

[Cort]

Another person on the forums is doing better on the bifidobacterium than acidophilus - its worth a try!

 

[susan]

You cant just try probiotics and hope they will fix you. Bioscreen here in Australia do stool tests that tell you exactly what bugs are eating you. costs about $280 For example I cant have anything with Bifidus in it as I have a serious overgrowth of Step.staph and enterococus. Have to source diferent probiotics from around the country. Bioscreen have been at the fore front of gut investigations for CFS. Antibiotics might partialy improve the situation but drugs are off the table for me.

 

[Tony]

Hi Susan,

I've also had the Bioscreen testing done...twice in 12 month$. High strep and prevotella, low bifido. So I need the bifido and it's good for my gut, it feels better, less nausea and grumbling.

As you say probiotics aren't likely to be the answer in themselves but are a useful aid for some. I really think that diet plays a large part too, particularly if we also need probiotics. De Meirleir reckons on 80% plus of ME/CFS have gut problems.

 

[susan]

Hi Tony,
I see you mention nausea. I have had it for 3 yrs and no Gastro Dr has any idea what is causing it. The just say you can have it for no reason at all. Maybe it is a gut issue?

 

[Tony]

Ha! Just like we can have ME/CFS for no reason at all...? They just need to admit they don't know it all, silly buggers.

One of the interesting things De Meirleir mentions about gluten is that it isn't necessarily an all or nothing issue. There are degrees of tolerance.

I hear of more naturopaths and integrative type doctors putting people on gluten free diets even if they test negative for coeliacs. It's a hard thing to digest.
Have you seen this summary? It's a good one.

http://www.nutritional-healing.com....ber 2007 talk on CFS by Dr. Kenny De Meirleir

 

[Jody]

Tony,

I have to agree with everything you said, especially the "silly buggers".

I don't have celiac disease. Never been tested but I know I don't have the dramatic quick reactions to gluten that a celiac does. But I also know that I have a reaction to wheat (also rice, other grains, potatoes, corn, too much milk and eggs).

Found it out when I went low carb. Within 2 days, a pain that I'd had for like a decade way down in the pit of my stomach ... disappeared. It had never disappeared before. Brain fog lessened. Didn't vanish but lessened, as did much of the vibrating, swirling feeling in my arms and hands, and face.

And a "feeling" (I guess not emotion, I guess physical sensation, but it is hard to say which ...) of anxiety for no nameable reason, that had been with me since I was ... I think before I went to high school, so since the age of 12 anyway.

When I had to go back to a carby diet due to lack of money for a time, I noticed ... the "free floating anxiety" (that's what us pseudo-Psych types taking psychology courses called it ) floated right back in. And after dropping carbs again later, it floated right on out again.

 

[Lisa]

Interesting stuff! I'll have to take a closer look at what is in the probiotics we have been taking.

Lisa

 

[Frickly]

Jody,

Tony,

I have to agree with everything you said, especially the "silly buggers".

I don't have celiac disease. Never been tested but I know I don't have the dramatic quick reactions to gluten that a celiac does. But I also know that I have a reaction to wheat (also rice, other grains, potatoes, corn, too much milk and eggs).

Found it out when I went low carb. Within 2 days, a pain that I'd had for like a decade way down in the pit of my stomach ... disappeared. It had never disappeared before. Brain fog lessened. Didn't vanish but lessened, as did much of the vibrating, swirling feeling in my arms and hands, and face.

And a "feeling" (I guess not emotion, I guess physical sensation, but it is hard to say which ...) of anxiety for no nameable reason, that had been with me since I was ... I think before I went to high school, so since the age of 12 anyway.

When I had to go back to a carby diet due to lack of money for a time, I noticed ... the "free floating anxiety" (that's what us pseudo-Psych types taking psychology courses called it ) floated right back in. And after dropping carbs again later, it floated right on out again.

My son's doctor explains why certain foods can affect us in this way. The following is a quote from his book:

"A peptide is a particle of food protein that would normally be digested in the GI tract before being absorbd into the bloodstream. If digestive enzymes are abnormal and the gut lining is injured, peptides that normally would not be allowed can cross over into the bloodstream, i.e., leak gut. Gluten and casein peptides can attach to opiate receptors in the brain and in the body. Opiates act as both neurotransmitters and immunomodulators. Exogenous opiates can interfere with our natural endogenous opiate (endorphin)function, changing the balance of neurotransmitters. Examples of other exogenous opiates are morphine, heroin and other narcotics. Obviously these drugs have neurological effects and are addictive, but they also affect bowel fuction and weaken the immune system. Although food-derived opiates are not as strong as these drugs, the biochemical effects are similar, including how they make people feel." Bryan Jepson

I have seen this first hand in my son. If he has MSG he gets so hyper he is uncontrollable (it is said that MSG disrupes the glutamate to GABA ratio),he ate some candy the other day that contained gluten and he became high as a kite. Even his eys were dialated and all his tourettes tics came back with a vengence. When we ran out of his digestive enzymes he started going into rages until we put him back on the enzymes.

I suppose someone with a mild intolerance to gluten could have symptoms simular to yours. I wonder if digestive enzymes with each meal would give you the same effect as going on these low carb diets? I also beleive probiotics are important and my son and I take them everyday. We were told that it is important to cycle different one's in and out of our regime.

We are still new at this, only been on it for about four months, but it is facinating to see how these foods can effect the brain. It would have been impossible to see these triggers without totally taking him off the gluten and casein. We will begin to slowly introduce foods back into is diet in a couple of months. It is interesting that we now have him on less prescription medication then he has been on since he was 5 and he is doing ok.

 

[Jody]

Frickly,

You all have been on a fast learning curve, if you have grasped all this in only 4 months. Fantastic.

It was years before I had a single clue about what would help me.

It is truly astonishing the emotional and mental effects that can come about through something as physical as eating, isn't it.

It's quite possible that enzymes and/or probiotics would help but at this point I can't afford any of them. Did some probiotics for a month or so recently and just felt nausea, and got a bigger gut. Not to say that if I could have kept on it that it wouldn't have gone through the transition and maybe could have improved things.

I will try it again when I have the opportunity.

 

[Frickly]

Jody,

Yes, it's very expensive.

 

[Jody]

Frickly,

I will just have to write lots and lots of articles and make lots and lots of money and then I will try it again.

 

[Frickly]

Jody

That sounds like an excellent plan to me.

 

[Jody]

Why, thankee ma'am.

That is just what I will do.

 

[Michelle]

Don't know if anybody is still reading this thread but I thought I'd post here since this thread is directly related to the problem I'm having.

After reading Dr. Logan's post over at Cort's blog (it's also in this "Gut" section), I switched to a Bifidobacterium probiotic that includes one of the Bifidos that he recommended -- b. infantis. But after being on it for a few weeks, I'm so sick! I'm nauseous, bloated as hell, have no appetite and my flu-like symptoms are worse. All I want to do is sleep.

Your comment, Susan, is quite interesting as a few years back I kept getting urinary tract infections caused by, among other bacteria, Enteroccocus rather than the usual E. Coli. I've also had a couple of Staph infections, including one in a finger that was resistant to the first antibiotic the doctor threw at it (Kephlex). While I sooo do not have three hundred bucks to get my poo tested, I have wondered if anybody else has had this experience with Bifidobacterium. Is this just the storm before the quiet?

I do tend to be very sensitive to probiotics and have spent years trying out different varieties, most resulting in a great deal of gas, bloating, and cramping. I had found a nice acidophilus that was working well (no cramping, etc. but did have IBS symptoms if I forgot to take it), as well as one that was a combination of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains before starting the Probifia pearls. At this point I'm about to return to my old probiotics.

 

[Tony]

Hi Michelle,

I'm fortunately not that sensitive to probiotics. After my first test I started on VSL#3 which is a very large dose of various lacto and bifido strains. It was helpful and got my lacto into the normal range. Now the bifido is helping.

I read somewhere? that some bacteria can 'crowd out' other bacteria in the gut and then problems occur. It seems you've worked out you need different types to get a better balance. Hope others can chip in here.

 

[dannybex]

Michelle...

Don't know if anybody is still reading this thread but I thought I'd post here since this thread is directly related to the problem I'm having.

After reading Dr. Logan's post over at Cort's blog (it's also in this "Gut" section), I switched to a Bifidobacterium probiotic that includes one of the Bifidos that he recommended -- b. infantis. But after being on it for a few weeks, I'm so sick! I'm nauseous, bloated as hell, have no appetite and my flu-like symptoms are worse. All I want to do is sleep.

Your comment, Susan, is quite interesting as a few years back I kept getting urinary tract infections caused by, among other bacteria, Enteroccocus rather than the usual E. Coli. I've also had a couple of Staph infections, including one in a finger that was resistant to the first antibiotic the doctor threw at it (Kephlex). While I sooo do not have three hundred bucks to get my poo tested, I have wondered if anybody else has had this experience with Bifidobacterium. Is this just the storm before the quiet?

I'm no doctor of course, but it may indeed be the 'storm before the quiet'. Perhaps the symptoms you're experiencing are the result of the bifido 'cleaning house'??? Although I would think that they wouldn't last for weeks...but not sure on that. It's important to remember we all have pounds of bacteria in our guts, so perhaps sometimes it may take weeks to resolve an imbalance...?

As someone mentioned earlier in this thread, it may be important to get tested to find out precisely what type of imbalance or other issues you have in your gut. A CSDA is very helpful, but yes, can be pricey. I wish I could afford it too, but will have to wait for now.

Just my two cents!

Dan

 

[powertool4]

Don't know if anybody is still reading this thread but I thought I'd post here since this thread is directly related to the problem I'm having.

After reading Dr. Logan's post over at Cort's blog (it's also in this "Gut" section), I switched to a Bifidobacterium probiotic that includes one of the Bifidos that he recommended -- b. infantis. But after being on it for a few weeks, I'm so sick! I'm nauseous, bloated as hell, have no appetite and my flu-like symptoms are worse. All I want to do is sleep.

Your comment, Susan, is quite interesting as a few years back I kept getting urinary tract infections caused by, among other bacteria, Enteroccocus rather than the usual E. Coli. I've also had a couple of Staph infections, including one in a finger that was resistant to the first antibiotic the doctor threw at it (Kephlex). While I sooo do not have three hundred bucks to get my poo tested, I have wondered if anybody else has had this experience with Bifidobacterium. Is this just the storm before the quiet?

I do tend to be very sensitive to probiotics and have spent years trying out different varieties, most resulting in a great deal of gas, bloating, and cramping. I had found a nice acidophilus that was working well (no cramping, etc. but did have IBS symptoms if I forgot to take it), as well as one that was a combination of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains before starting the Probifia pearls. At this point I'm about to return to my old probiotics.

Hi michelle,

how did the bifido work out for you (i think you mentioned it was probifia). I seem to do very poorly and am sensitive to probiotics and haven't found one that's that great. I'm trying to find one for bloating and gas and after eating that is painful but some probiotics cause massive massive gas in me and even constipation. I have been trying to figure it out but so far no luck. I do recall that when i first start natren's healthy trinity i had bloating pretty bad (but not painful, i guess lighter gas) for about 1.5 weeks and then started to feel good after taking it. unfortunately i ruined it somehow by switching to a different brand and went i went back to natren didnt work.
i'm thinking i might do better on bifido than lacto..

 

[nanciswell]

I had nausea ,, for 30 years.. yes I said 30 years.. During that time I had tried lots of things.. acidophilus, bifidus, cleanses, chelation,

Taking phosphatidyl choline and glycine helped a bit.. THen going on an elimination diet and figuring out what foods I am sensitive to got rid of it totally. I now have very foods I can eat ,, BUT I feel a heck of alot better. There are many food groups that cause problems .. for which some do not have the enzymes to break down ..

THere are salicylates .. the natural chemical made by most plants that is a natural pesticide for the plant .. and for us who do not have the enzyme can lead to a host of problems.. ie coordination problems, brain and muscle fatigue. digestive probems, sweats, panic attacks, behaviour problems..

Amines are found in meat as it ages. Beef is very tough unless hung for a few weeks.. It is the amines which soften the tissues..

A good website to start is www.plantpoisonsandrottenstuff.info