Potential Uses of Probiotics in Clinical Practice

Potential Uses of Probiotics in Clinical Practice

Oct. 2003 | Gregor Reid,1,2,3* Jana Jass,1,2 M. Tom Sebulsky,2 and John K. McCormick1,2
The article discusses the potential uses of probiotics in clinical practice, emphasizing their growing research interest and the need for standardized definitions and guidelines. Probiotics, defined as live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts, have shown promise in various conditions, particularly in newborns and children. Key areas of application include: 1. **Intestinal Infections in Newborns and Children**: Probiotics like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium infantis have been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of necrotizing enterocolitis and diarrhea in infants. 2. **Bacterial Gastroenteritis**: Probiotics such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii can help prevent and treat antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile. 3. **Helicobacter pylori Infections**: Probiotics can inhibit the growth of H. pylori and reduce the risk of recurrence. 4. **Inflammatory Diseases and Bowel Syndromes**: A combination of probiotic strains may alleviate symptoms in inflammatory bowel diseases like pouchitis and Crohn's disease. 5. **Cancer**: Probiotics can modify gut microbiota to reduce the risk of cancer by decreasing carcinogen levels and enhancing detoxification pathways. 6. **Mucosal Immunity**: Probiotics can enhance immune responses, particularly in the elderly, by activating macrophages and stimulating secretory IgA production. 7. **Allergy**: Probiotics like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG can reduce the incidence of early atopic disease in infants at high risk of allergy. 8. **Women's Reproductive and Bladder Health**: Probiotics can restore the vaginal microbiota, reducing the risk of urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast vaginitis. 9. **Surgical Infections**: Probiotics can reduce the risk of postoperative infections in high-risk surgical patients. The article also highlights the need for guidelines to ensure the quality and reliability of probiotic products, emphasizing the importance of strain identification, in vitro and in vivo experiments, and standardized testing methods. These guidelines aim to provide physicians and consumers with clear criteria to evaluate probiotic products effectively.The article discusses the potential uses of probiotics in clinical practice, emphasizing their growing research interest and the need for standardized definitions and guidelines. Probiotics, defined as live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts, have shown promise in various conditions, particularly in newborns and children. Key areas of application include: 1. **Intestinal Infections in Newborns and Children**: Probiotics like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium infantis have been shown to reduce the incidence and severity of necrotizing enterocolitis and diarrhea in infants. 2. **Bacterial Gastroenteritis**: Probiotics such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii can help prevent and treat antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile. 3. **Helicobacter pylori Infections**: Probiotics can inhibit the growth of H. pylori and reduce the risk of recurrence. 4. **Inflammatory Diseases and Bowel Syndromes**: A combination of probiotic strains may alleviate symptoms in inflammatory bowel diseases like pouchitis and Crohn's disease. 5. **Cancer**: Probiotics can modify gut microbiota to reduce the risk of cancer by decreasing carcinogen levels and enhancing detoxification pathways. 6. **Mucosal Immunity**: Probiotics can enhance immune responses, particularly in the elderly, by activating macrophages and stimulating secretory IgA production. 7. **Allergy**: Probiotics like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG can reduce the incidence of early atopic disease in infants at high risk of allergy. 8. **Women's Reproductive and Bladder Health**: Probiotics can restore the vaginal microbiota, reducing the risk of urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast vaginitis. 9. **Surgical Infections**: Probiotics can reduce the risk of postoperative infections in high-risk surgical patients. The article also highlights the need for guidelines to ensure the quality and reliability of probiotic products, emphasizing the importance of strain identification, in vitro and in vivo experiments, and standardized testing methods. These guidelines aim to provide physicians and consumers with clear criteria to evaluate probiotic products effectively.
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