Twelve Points on Lactobacillus Acidophilus

Compiled and Written by Prof. Dr. Sir John Whitman Ray

1. Lactobacillus bacteria are a group of aerobic, long, slender rods which produce large amounts of lactic acid in the fermentation of carbohydrates.

2. Daily dietary intake of Lactobacillus acidophilus helps maintain proper balance of healthy bacteria in the intestinal tract. (Some problems from a lack of "healthy" bacteria in the intestinal tract due to the proliferation of "unhealthy" bacteria are constipation, irritated colon and diarrhea. Acne, eczema and fever blisters may also be caused by "unhealthy" bacteria.)

3. Lactobacillus acidophilus is essential to help synthesize and assimilate necessary vitamins in the intestinal tract.

4. Lactobacillus acidophilus has been found to help lower cholesterol levels in the blood stream.

5. Lactobacillus acidophilus has been known to help detoxify toxic and hazardous material found in the diet.

6. Lactobacillus acidophilus aids in producing enzymes which help the digestibility of food.

7. Lactobacillus acidophilus improves the digestibility of feed for animals and has been tested and used as a feed additive.

8. Lactobacillus acidophilus helps maintain the pH level of the intestine by producing lactic acid from carbohydrates thus preventing an increase of pH which could then allow the proliferation of sensitive microbes which could produce various toxic substances harmful to the health of the body.

9. Lactobacillus acidophilus helps to replace normal healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract after oral antibiotics have been administered. Oral antimicrobial drugs suppress the drug susceptible components of fecal flora (L. acidophilus) and thus allow, through increased pH, drug resistant strains to become predominant, resulting in loss of benefits derived from normal bacterial activity.

10. There is no known toxicity from ingesting too large a dose of Lactobacillus acidophilus.

11. Lactobacillus acidophilus in the intestinal tract are small in number compared to other organisms. It is, therefore, essential that the human body be assured a maintenance of the proper level of this particular culture by daily ingestion of Lactobacillus acidophilus.

12. Lactobacillus acidophilus is, therefore, justified as a supplemental dietary substance especially in these days when stress, uncertainty and unhealthy pollution of air, water and food predominate.