Can You Strengthen the Immune System with Probiotics and Protect Yourself From the Flu?
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Now that flu season is in full force and there have been multiple reports of healthy, young people dying from the flu, I’m reminded of a few probiotics that have impressed me for strengthening the immune system. A few years ago I wrote an article for Pharmacy Times on choosing probiotics that had yielded good results, according to the medical literature. I also was curious to see what the literature says now, 2 years later. Is there more supporting information? Less? Other probiotics? Here’s an update:
Apparently, the supporting information for using probiotics to strengthen the immune system is increasing. I was fascinated to see that B. longum BB536 was given as an adjunct to the flu vaccine. I think it was brilliant, considering that often times vaccines don’t work because the person’s immune system is too weak and debilitated to mount a response and make the necessary immunological ammunition.
In the cases of severely immune compromised patients, I don’t recommend probiotics for those patients. Keep in mind that probiotics are live bacteria that can cause sepsis in rare cases. It happens to premature babies, cancer patients and anyone in a very fragile, debilitated state.3
I think it’s very important to explain to patients that probiotics are very individual and specific in their actions. They are not interchangeable. They produce a specific effect and that is usually discovered in observational studies first, then confirmed in medical studies. When people ask me which probiotic I recommend for them, I look to see what kind of medical need they have, and then I make a recommendation for a probiotic to fill that need.
As a result of reading several studies, I realize that probiotics are very dose dependent. It’s always the highest doses that yield the best results. Therefore, I don’t recommend to patients that they skimp on doses. I don’t recommend they cut the pills in half or take half a dose to save money. I don’t recommend soon-to-expire probiotics that are on sale. I do recommend people buy probiotics that are recently manufactured and within expiration date. And never, under any circumstances, do I recommend freezing yogurt or probiotics. That could potentially kill them. I doubt anyone will ever get any probiotic benefits from frozen yogurt or frozen kefir. Technically, pill forms of probiotics are freeze dried in a laboratory and adding moisture will bring them back to life.
Probiotics can cost as much as $1.50 a pill. Considering that you can buy a 6-ounce container of yogurt for less money, I normally recommend yogurt for general health. I recommend the pills for specific actions, like strengthening the immune system during the peak cold and flu season.
I believe everyone deserves great health, and if cost is a barrier, I recommend people make their own yogurt from scratch, at home, for personal use. Follow me on Facebook, and I will share my homemade yogurt smoothie recipes that will nourish your body and soul.
http://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/gunda-siska-pharmd/2018/01/can-you-strengthen-the-immune-system-with-probiotics-and-protect-yourself-from-the-flu
Apparently, the supporting information for using probiotics to strengthen the immune system is increasing. I was fascinated to see that B. longum BB536 was given as an adjunct to the flu vaccine. I think it was brilliant, considering that often times vaccines don’t work because the person’s immune system is too weak and debilitated to mount a response and make the necessary immunological ammunition.
In the cases of severely immune compromised patients, I don’t recommend probiotics for those patients. Keep in mind that probiotics are live bacteria that can cause sepsis in rare cases. It happens to premature babies, cancer patients and anyone in a very fragile, debilitated state.3
I think it’s very important to explain to patients that probiotics are very individual and specific in their actions. They are not interchangeable. They produce a specific effect and that is usually discovered in observational studies first, then confirmed in medical studies. When people ask me which probiotic I recommend for them, I look to see what kind of medical need they have, and then I make a recommendation for a probiotic to fill that need.
As a result of reading several studies, I realize that probiotics are very dose dependent. It’s always the highest doses that yield the best results. Therefore, I don’t recommend to patients that they skimp on doses. I don’t recommend they cut the pills in half or take half a dose to save money. I don’t recommend soon-to-expire probiotics that are on sale. I do recommend people buy probiotics that are recently manufactured and within expiration date. And never, under any circumstances, do I recommend freezing yogurt or probiotics. That could potentially kill them. I doubt anyone will ever get any probiotic benefits from frozen yogurt or frozen kefir. Technically, pill forms of probiotics are freeze dried in a laboratory and adding moisture will bring them back to life.
Probiotics can cost as much as $1.50 a pill. Considering that you can buy a 6-ounce container of yogurt for less money, I normally recommend yogurt for general health. I recommend the pills for specific actions, like strengthening the immune system during the peak cold and flu season.
I believe everyone deserves great health, and if cost is a barrier, I recommend people make their own yogurt from scratch, at home, for personal use. Follow me on Facebook, and I will share my homemade yogurt smoothie recipes that will nourish your body and soul.
http://www.pharmacytimes.com/contributor/gunda-siska-pharmd/2018/01/can-you-strengthen-the-immune-system-with-probiotics-and-protect-yourself-from-the-flu