Probiotics: Better off dead?
Interesting article in Science News by Janet Raloff, which begins:
Vast and diverse microbial ecosystems form within our guts. Trillions of bacteria strong, these communities help digest our meals, manufacture vitamins, kill pathogens, neutralize food-poisoning agents and boost our immune defenses. When antibiotic therapy or disease wipes out huge numbers of these intestinal squatters, bloating, diarrhea and more can ensue. Ewwwww.
Fortunately, medicine has developed starter cultures of beneficial germs to recolonize antibiotic-ravaged guts, to boost immunity and to sometimes act as a call to arms for other gut microbes. Because intentionally downing extra live germs doesn’t sound very appetizing, dietary supplement companies refer to these bacterial as probiotics — and even deliver some as part of the “live cultures” in a serving of yogurt.
But, as we reported last year, people have sickened or died after receiving probiotics. What role, if any, these bacteria played remains uncertain. Such events have, however, been giving some researchers and clinicians doubts about the safety of this ostensibly benign and "all natural" germ therapy.
A paper just published online in Nutrition Reviews now suggests a compromise tactic: Administer slain bacteria — microbial carcasses, if you will…
