I will be the first to admit that I have tried most things when it comes to prepping for flu-season. Vitamin C supplements, Zinc lozenges, Ginger in every meal and even the good old flu shot… but the one thing I never often thought of… probiotics.
Probiotics have a way of preventing unwanted bacteria in the GI tract from entering into circulation, keeping us healthy while aiding digestion. A recent study out of the European Journal of Nutrition studied the efficacy of strains of Lactobacillus on preventing the common cold or reducing its duration in infected individuals. Not only did it reduce the incidence of cold by nearly 20%, but it cut the duration down by 2-3 days! Review articles summarize additional clinical trials that have demonstrated benefits for probiotic use in several other immune response related conditions including allergy and eczema.
Proposed mechanisms for dietary probiotics’ effectiveness in immunity are still being studied and discovered. Several sources suggest that good bacteria simply “crowd out” bad bacteria. Others state that being low in good bacteria in the gut (as a result of chronic stress, antibiotic use, diets high in refined sugar, processed foods or alcohol) compromises immune function, and simply restoring balance helps to rebuild the body’s natural defenses.
Consuming probiotics from a well-balanced diet is a great way to provide your body with the armor it needs for flu season and beyond!
Mikaela Hew is a candidate for the Master of Science in Nutrition degree (2012) at Bastyr University, Kenmore WA.
Sources:
1. Berggren A, Lazou Ahrén I, Larsson N, Önning G. Randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled study using new probiotic lactobacilli for strengthening the body immune defence against viral infections. Eur J Nutr. 2011 Apr;50(3):203-10.
2. Yan F, Polk DB. Probiotics and immune health. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2011;27(6):496-501.
3. Rizzello V, Bonaccorsi I, Dongarrà ML, Fink LN, Ferlazzo G. Role of natural killer and dendritic cell crosstalk in
immunomodulation by commensal bacteria probiotics. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2011;2011:473097.