PROBIOTICS

[liveonearth]

--bifidus is best, some strains don't bind TLR's at all anymore
--lactobaccilus is 2nd best
--research ongoing in Norway, Finnland, Univ or Turku
--present in fermented foods, many cultures have a traditional food that serves this purpose
***Korea: kimchi
***Hawaii: poi
***Japan: miso (research shows increased survival rate after Hiroshima/Nagasaki (radiation poisoning) of miso eaters)
--OK to take with autoimmune Dz
--sometimes added to last injection of enema to reintroduce good bugs after flushing bad

EFFECTS
--increases number of CD25 Treg cells
--increases TGFbeta (Th3 response)
--increases IL-10 (Th3 mainly but also Th1 and 2)
--increases IFNgamma in vitro, not in vivo
--decreases carcinogens in intestine (Japanese research, sampled intestines!)
--in lactating mothers leads to a decrease in TNFalpha in breast milk, reducing GI upset and diarhhea in infants

USE FOR
--IBS (5/8 studies show benefit so far)
--autoimmune dz incl rheumatoid artritis, lupus, psoriasis
--allergies (type 1 hypersensitivity)
--DTH response (type 4 hypersensitivity)

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Some time ago a girlfriend told me that whenever she felt like she was getting a cold, she would take probiotics and she would not get sick. Since that time I have pulled out the probiotics when I have felt challenged, and I have ceased to get sick. Now, after hearing out Dr. Zwickey, I am convinced that I have been suppressing my Th1 response and reducing my overall immunity by not allowing my body to mount a full fevery snotty response to an antigen from time to time. So I am going to STOP taking probiotics the next time I feel like I am getting a cold, and see if I can get one. I am also going to abstain from taking my other favorite cold preventative, which is zicam (brand name, great stuff). I haven't had a cold in at least 3 years, and I guess it is time. I want to be sure that my body is still capable of mounting a Th1 response.