Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Metchnikoff even reported that the special kind of Lactobacilli in samples of Bulgarian yogurt was the only bacterium that had never damaged the human organism anyhow. Even though he made that discovery, Professor Metchnikoff was not aware who the real founder of that special bacillus was. The answer to his question dates back to 1905 when the Bulgarian Dr. Stamen Grigorov, discovered a special kind of Lactobacilli and called them Lactobacillus Bulgaricus.
The B. lactis bulgaricus is one of a widely distributed group of lactic acid-producing organisms which do not proliferate in laboratory media. Scientists believe that these bacilli modify the intestinal flora, thus limiting auto-intoxication and its train of arteriosclerotic changes which lead to premature senility.
Nowadays, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus is used to sour milk (produce yogurt), given as a remedy, used in treatments, etc. The administration of yogurt products is very beneficial and it gradually taking the place of protein food for improving nutrition. LB can also be taken in tablet form although the best way to benefit from its qualities is through yogurt consumption.
Probiotics
Probiotics, which means, "for life," have been used for centuries as natural components in health-promoting foods.
Bulgarian medical doctor Dr. Stamen Grigorov discovered a special Lactobacilli and called them Lactobacillus Bulgaricus - the only bacteria that had never damaged the human organism anyhow.
Probiotics are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to the beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut. They are also called "friendly bacteria" Probiotocis are available to consumers manly in the form of dietary supplements and foods (hint: Bulgarian yogurt!). According to the currently adopted definition by FAO/WHO, probiotics are: "Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host". Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria are the most common types of microbes used as probiotics; Lactobacillus Bulgaricus being one of the most often used bacilli as well.
At first, probiotics were thought to beneficially affect the host by improving its intestinal microbial balance, thus inhibiting pathogens and toxin producing bacteria. Today specific health effects are being investigated and documented including alleviation of chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases, prevention and treatment of pathogen-induced diarrhea, urogenital infections, and atopic diseases, and many others.
The term "probiotics" was first introduced in 1953 by Kollath. Contrasting antibiotics, probiotics were defined as microbially derived factors that stimulate the growth of other microorganisms. In 1989 Roy Fuller suggested a definition of probiotics which has been widely used: "A live microbial feed supplement which beneficially affects the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance". Fuller's definition emphasizes the requirement of viability for probiotics and introduces the aspect of a beneficial effect on the host.
The Power of Bacteria
We live in a world dominated by bacteria. The microorganisms around you are able to adapt to almost any environment and thrive - they have been found in the frozen lands of Antarctica, on top of volcanoes, in the depths of the Atlantic, and, of course, in our digestive tracts. Our civilization is but a pale comparison to the invisible world of microorganisms that surrounds us.
It is not surprising that microbes have become experts of adaptation when you consider the evolutionary pressures of their world. They are constantly disrupted by changes in environment, competition from other species, attacks from specialized viruses (i.e. bacteriophages), and a shifting food supply. Imagine trying to survive in a world filled with rampant diseases, famines, hurricanes, and floods, and you'll begin to appreciate the world of the microbe.
Some microbes have colluded with the competition to form symbiotic relationships. For example, the bacterial strains Streptococcus Thermophilus and Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, work together and transform milk into tasty yogurt. The thirty or so strains of bacteria and yeast found in Kefir, a traditional fermented drink of the Caucasians, band together to form complex ecology capable of digesting almost any food source and staving off harmful pathogens.
Our ancient ancestors did not live in a sterile environment. It is likely that they ingested various microbes found naturally in their foods. Some of these microbes were beneficial to their life while others caused infections and disease. Somewhere along the way in their struggle for survival, our ancestors allied themselves with certain species of microbes. Our intestines have evolved into a perfect microbial farm. We provide these microbes with furnished home and plenty of food, in return, they produce beneficial nutrients and help defend us from pathogens. About a thousand years ago, our ancestors began to experimenting with fermenting their own foods with beneficial strains to prevent spoilage, fight infections, and increase absorption of nutrients. This action further allied our bodies with the microbial world.
Fermented Foods
Nobel Prize winner Dr. Elie Metchnikoff was one of the first scientists to recognize the benefits of eating fermented foods. His research in the early 1900's focused on the Bulgarians. He believed the daily ingestion of yogurt was a major contribution to their superior health and longevity. Today, if you search the Internet on probiotics, you will find an almost endless supply of reasons why "good bacteria" are good for you.
Fermenting your own foods can be a healthy, fun, and nutritious hobby. We feel that anything you can make at home is much better than commercialized foods. Fermenting your own foods is cheaper, more fun, and better for you than just popping a pill of freeze dried bacteria.
Detoxify and Preserve
If there's anything that the microbial world does well, it is detoxifying things. Today, Bacteriologists periodically visit old military facilities in search of new strains of bacteria living off of contaminants in the soil. If you put it in the ground and give them enough time to mutate and evolve, these microbes will find a way to break it down. This probably holds true for any organic chemical. These earthly microbes purify the world.
Not only have we been able to use the detoxifying properties of microbes to breakdown nasty substances, such as oil spills, military dumps, and sewer plants, we also use them to detoxify our food and water and increase shelf lives. For centuries, Europeans used wine as a source of clean, durable water. Bulgarians perfected the art of detoxifying and preserving milk (removing the lactose and predigesting the proteins) and transforming it into yogurt and cheese. The Caucasians used Kefir grains for the same purpose: detoxify milk products to make Kefir. Vegetables were also fermented to preserve them from spoilage. Most of the pickled products found on our grocery shelves were at one time a fermented product: pickles, sauerkraut, and even ketchup. However, since fermentation isn't always a uniform process, manufacturers found another way to make these products.
Fight Off Infections
Competition between microbes can be fierce. The good bacteria that are normal inhabitants of our intestinal tracts will fight off many foreign intruders. They can be seen as our first line of defense in the war of infection. Scientists have documented many different substances produced by lactobacilli (lactic acid bacteria) that have been found to inhibit harmful microorganisms. For example, lactobacillus acidophilus produces several substances while fermenting milk, including acidolin, acidophillin, lactobacillan, and lactocidin. These substances have been shown to inhibit pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella, while leaving other lactobacilli and human cells unharmed These antibiotic agents are found in fermented milk, but not always in a probiotic pill. A study found that fermented milk products, like yogurt, can kill Helicobacter pylori (the ulcer causing bacteria) but that the beneficial bacteria alone cannot. This means that probiotics in pill form would have no effect on H. pylori but that homemade yogurt and Kefir would.
Nutritious to Boot
Fermented products are a great source of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. The process of fermentation increases the amounts of some vitamins. Fermented milk is a great source of energetic B vitamins while fermented vegetables are a great source of Vitamin C. Sauerkraut often served as military rations in ancient armies, most notably the Mongolians, and was used to prevent scurvy. The process of fermentation also increases the bioavailability of these foods.
Pills versus Food
We have already mentioned earlier that dairy products fermented with lactobacilli have been shown to kill pathogenic bacteria, such as H. pylori, while the lactobacilli alone did not. This means that some of the antibiotic properties of these good bacteria may be missing in the probiotic pills you see on the shelves. Also, you have no way of verifying the potency or vitality of these products. Bacteria are living organisms and must be alive when you eat them in order to reap their benefits. It does no good to ingest dead, good bacteria. Furthermore, good quality probiotics are often very expensive. For instance, a month's supply from a popular vendor may cost as much as $80 to $100 per month. With a budget of $100 per month, you can make all the sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt you'll need. Not only will you be getting the benefits of these beneficial bacteria, you will be making delicious and healthy meals as well. The only benefit store probiotics offer is convenience. However, once you get started, fermenting your own foods is very easy.
Please do not eat spoiled fermented foods. In some rare instances, fermented foods can be overtaken by mold or become spoiled. In these cases, throw out the result and start anew. The process of fermentation is only good for you if it occurs outside of your body.
Lactobacillus Bulgaricus
Most people don't think of their digestive system as a battlefield, but the comparison is apt when you consider how many potentially invasive toxins are trying to invade the GI tract on a daily basis. As harmful bacteria such as E coli move through the human intestine, your natural defense system is alerted and helpful bacteria are called into play. These helpful bacteria consist of microflora such as Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, or L Bulgaricus. Although most commonly found in Bulgarian yogurt and Swiss cheese, Bulgaricus can also be taken as a dietary supplement in a capsule form. Bulgaricus in the dairy industry is identified as a "starter culture" that encourages the growth of other probiotic microbes during the production of cheese and yogurt. This function as an early adapter in harsh environments may offer a glimpse into the prominence of Bulgaricus in the role of a beneficial probiotic.
L Bulgaricus is one of the symbiotic micro-organisms that can shrink or multiply within the environment of the mucous lining in the gastro-intestinal tract, also called the "intestinal mucosa." This environment is described in medical journals as an interface between the absorption of needed nutrients and the diversion of harmful microbes and toxins. When the balance of beneficial microflora is weakened at this interface, infectious diseases are more likely to take a foothold. Conversely, when helpful microflora are flourishing, many germs and infections are prevented from adhering to the host by an amazing system of signals and decoy strategies employed by the digestive system in partnership with the intestinal microflora.
L Bulgaricus appears to play several important roles as a soldier in this battlefield of the digestive tract. These mechanisms include reducing intestinal infections by excreting metabolic end products-- such as acids --that change the pH of the GI tract. At lower pH ranges, or higher acidic levels, it appears that many pathogens simply give up the fight to survive. Also, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus excretes natural antibiotics, which can have a broad spectrum of immune-boosting functions. Other helpful probiotic mechanisms include the blocking of pathogen adhesion sites within the mucous layer of the intestine.
L Bulgaricus shows a proven ability to draw away toxins and defeat harmful bacteria, while colonizing the intestinal mucosa in a beneficial symbiosis. L Bulgaricus appears to be a particularly rugged strain of microbial flora, and has been shown to withstand the low pH levels within the stomach during its digestive journey. Many probiotic products cannot withstand the high acid environment of the stomach, nor the bile salts of the duodenum, thus not reaching their designated work station within the intestine. L Bulgaricus supplements have been compared to a spore, in that it can be stored like a seed but once digested, blooms and grows into the appropriate function within the human GI tract.
In the field of microbiology, an often-quoted study on the effects of Lactobacillus Bulgaricus was produced by L. Baricault in 1995. Baricault showed that L Bulgaricus appeared to demonstrate anti-tumor qualities in his study of rats and hamsters. Many scientific discussions on the effectiveness of Bulgaricus as a possible anti-cancer agent or barrier against disease began with this study, long before the term "probiotic" became a household word.
University studies in Korea and South Carolina have subjected certain Bulgaricus strains of bacteria to freeze-drying and exposure to various chemical sprays. Lactobacillus Bulgaricus showed in these tests that it posesses an unusually hardy tolerance to harsh environments and resistance to toxins. L Bulgaricus fed to mini-pigs during a 2001 university study in Germany also found that Bulgaricus was able to survive the full transit of the mammals' upper digestive system, unlike many other probiotics. This German study noted that the Bulgaricus yogurt cultures which were fed to the test subjects appeared to enhance the growth of other helpful microflora when two or three bacterial strains were introduced in combination.
In their 2005 study of GI infections for the British Journal of Nutrition, Gibson and McCartney studied the signalling patterns used by probiotics and prebiotics to inhibit the spread of pathogens in the intestinal mucosa. In this study, one mechanism cited to describe the workings of these microflora is by decoying and rerouting toxins so that they do not bind to the host's intestinal mucosa. This British study calls to mind the parallel of a battlefield within the GI tract.
Bulgaricus microflora appear to set up a defensive line wherein harmful bacteria are guided away from the important area of interface, the intestinal mucosa. The several studies cited here have led to discoveries hinting that the combined effects of probiotics on intestinal microflora, as well as their unique anti-adhesive strategies, may lead to new dietary interventions against toxins. Lactobacillus Bulgaricus offers adaptability to harsh environments and a boost to help other microflora become established. This helpful supplement has shown its effectiveness in guarding the health of the GI tract.