Probiotics ‘May Stop Pneumonia’

Probiotics ‘May Stop Pneumonia’

I recently read an interesting article regarding the use of probiotics as an aid in combating pneumonia. Imagine putting a naturally occurring and necessary element of the human body to work against disease. 

Those of you who follow by blog, or are a client know that I use probiotics with most everyone. Why? Because they do the body good, have no negative side effects and can be used by children and adults.

Once you realize the importance of a healthy gut, lined with beneficial bacteria, you will be glad you started on the path to good health. This simple, yet powerful strategy was the reason I launched www.theperfectprobiotic.com. Please visit my site and learn more about the healing power of probiotics.

Below is more information from the article I read.

Wishing you good health,

Dr. Joe

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

Published: 2008/11/06 00:00:37 GMT

 

Probiotics could be used to protect critically ill patients from developing pneumonia, according to scientists.

The friendly bacteria can block the colonization by dangerous bugs of the airways of ventilated patients, the Swedish study concluded.

The probiotic solution performed just as well as normal antiseptics used to keep pneumonia-causing bacteria at bay, the journal Critical Care reported.

Being more natural it could pose fewer side effects, the authors said.

Friendly Bugs

The probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum is normally present in saliva and is also commonly found in fermented products like pickles and sauerkraut.

Although rare, some patients are allergic to the antiseptics normally used to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia, namely chlorhexidine. There is also a very small risk of the pneumonia-causing bacteria developing chlorhexidine resistance.

Pneumonia is a common complication in patients on breathing machines and occurs when harmful bacteria from the mouth, throat or breathing tube are inhaled into the lungs.

“ This is a plausible idea. But we need much larger trials that focus on clinical outcomes to prove it is an effective and affordable treatment ” Bob Marsterton of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Swabbing the mouth with chlorhexidine is widely recommended to reduce the risk ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation.

Bengt Klarin and colleagues at the University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, compared the probiotic treatment with chlorhexidine in 50 critically ill patients.

Microbiological testing revealed both treatments appeared to be equally effective at preventing potentially harmful bacteria from flourishing in the mouth and throat.

In addition, a probiotic that adheres to mouth lining will be able to work around the clock, unlike antiseptics, which wear off after a few hours, say the authors.

The scientists said bigger studies were now needed to investigate the feasibility of using probiotics in this setting. Bob Marsterton, chair of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy’s working party on hospital-acquired pneumonia, said: “This is a plausible idea. But we need much larger trials that focus on clinical outcomes to prove it is an effective and affordable treatment.” He said chlorhexidine highly effective, affordable and readily available.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7708895.stm