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PROBIOTICS
Your digestive system is home to some 400 species of bacteria -- and that's a good thing. Those bugs help protect you from toxic invaders such as salmonella. Studies suggest you can reinforce the ranks of these microwarriors with capsules of "probiotics," freeze-dried bacteria that advocates say can prevent diarrhea and other intestinal ailments.
"It's an old idea that's coming back around and getting more attention," says gastroenterologist Justin Bennet of the University of Colorado in Denver. "If you get enough good bacteria, like lactobacilli in yogurt, you suppress the bad ones."
While studies have shown that species in yogurt usually don't survive long in the body, a kind dubbed Lactobacillus GG prospers in the human digestive tract. It's now available in capsule form under the brand name Culturelle. Early studies have yielded promising results. In trials conducted in Finland and Italy, children infected with rotavirus, a common intestinal interloper, recovered more quickly when researchers gave them L. GG.
Adults may benefit as well. In a small study at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, 245 Americans about to visit developing countries were given either L. GG or a placebo to take daily until they returned home. Those who popped the probiotic came down with diarrhea only about half as often as the others. The supplement also seems to diminish the cases of diarrhea in people who are taking antibiotics.
The bottom line:
Reserve probiotics for episodes of intestinal trouble or for times when those kinds of problems seem likely -- during a trip overseas, or after you've taken a course of antibiotics. Stick with the type of bug scientists know most about: lactobacillus, particularly Lactobacillus GG. Take the tablets before meals, and wash them down with milk or water; the acids in some fruit juices, including orange juice, may destroy the bacteria.
If you can't find Culturelle tablets in your local health food store, you can order them directly by calling 888/828-4242. A box of 30 capsules sells for $18 plus $5 for shipping and handling.
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