Table of Contents
Probiotics – More Than Just For Gut Health
Bacillus clausii
Bacillus coagulans
Bacillus subtilis
Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12®
B. animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Bifidobacterium breve
Bifidobacterium infantis
Bifidobacterium lactis
Bifidobacterium longum
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus gg
Lactobacillus helveticus
Lacticaseibacillus paracasei
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
Lactobacillius reuteri
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus salivarius
Saccharomyces boulardii
Streptococcus thermophilus
Further Reading And References
Probiotics – More Than Just For Gut Health
Probiotics have functions that extend beyond the gut and can aid health in specific ways. Below is a sample of beneficial bacteria and their functions.
Bacillus clausii
- helps the immune system to protect against gut infections
- reduces the number and duration of respiratory infections in children
- antimicrobial
- helps protect the gut barrier
- anti-inflammatory
- shortens duration of diarrhoea
Bacillus coagulans
- may help relieve IBS with constipation but further research is needed
- may help with diarrhoea, gas and pain with IBS but larger, better quality studies are needed
Bacillus subtilis
- may help with antibiotic associated diarrhoea (7)
- does have enough reliable information regarding claims for other purposes (7)
Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12®
- inhibits pathogens
- enhances the intestinal barrier
- protects against diarrhoea including antibiotic associated diarrhoea
- increases the body’s resistance to respiratory infections
B. animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145
- may help to combat obesity by reducing fat levels and fat metabolism (19)
Bifidobacterium bifidum
- can influence the immune system (15)
- prevents eczema in infants by administering to pregnant women with a family history of eczema (15)
Bifidobacterium breve
- aided those with major depressive disorder which may be due to changes in gut tryptophan metabolism (16)
- may aid skin health (17)
- may have anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory properties (17)
- may aid weight reduction (17)
- boosts immunity (17)
Bifidobacterium infantis
- strong evidence for IBS symptom relief (21)
- linked with lower levels of inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and psoriasis (21)
Bifidobacterium lactis
- controls pathogens in the gut
- enhances gut barrier
- helps gut recover after antibiotics
- improves constipation
- reduces symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections
- modules the immune system
- counteracts gliadin, a component of wheat gluten, that can cause the gut to become permeable in celiac disease
Bifidobacterium longum
- aids carbohydrate metabolism and helps to break down complex carbohydrates
- improves constipation
- aids the immune system
- encourages butyrate production in the gut, lowering the gut PH to help control pathogens
- reduces gut inflammation
Lactobacillus acidophilus
- may help reduce cholesterol
- prevents or reduces diarrhoea
- helps the immune system
- may help with allergies
- may prevent or reduce eczema symptoms
- aids gut health
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Lactobacillus casei
- produces antimicrobial substances
- enhances the intestinal lining
- competes against pathogens
- modulates the immune system
Lactobacillus helveticus
- reduces blood pressure
- promotes the production of butyrate in the gut to aid gut health
- may aid anxiety and depression alongside Bifidobacterium longum
- improves sleep as a fermented milk
- reduces the length of upper respiratory tract illnesses
- may aid calcium levels when included in milk and yoghurt
- help to treat gut infections
Lactobacillus gg
- can increase glucose control in diabetes management
- helps immune system in various ways such as decreasing frequency of infections including respiratory infections and inhibiting H. pylori which can cause stomach ulcers
- decreases eczema symptoms and prevents atopic eczema
- reduces allergies and inflammation
- aids infant health such as fighting diarrhoea from rotavirus and decreasing colic
- decreases LDL-cholesterol
Lacticaseibacillus paracasei
- may reduce hay fever symptoms
- helps to treat eczema in children and infants
- alongside Lactiplantibacillus plantarum seems to help prevent the common cold
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
- shows moderate benefits for anxiety
- potential to decrease autism spectrum disorder behaviours including anxiety
- helps atopic dermatitis
- aids blood sugar control
- improves depression and sleep quality
- reduces inflammation
Lactobacillius reuteri
- has anti-inflammatory effects (12)
- benefits the immune system (12)
- may reduce abdominal pain in children (13)
- may reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (13)
- is likely to help prevent diarrhoea in infants and children (13)
- may improve improve infantile colic (13)
- may aid constipation (13)
- may help eradicate H. Pylori, alongside H. Pylori therapy (13)
- may assist with lowering blood cholesterol levels (13)
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- anti-inflammatory (2)
- helps the immune system (2)
- reduces the incidence of diabetes in pregnancy (2)
- helps with antibiotic-associated diarrhoea as well as diarrhoea due to gastrointestinal infections (2)
- reduces the risk of respiratory tract infections (2)
- reduces eczema and atopic dermatitis in infants and children (2)
- improves bacterial vaginosis with topical application (2)
- may protect against cavities (2) (3)
- may help prevent UTIs (3)
Lactobacillus salivarius
Saccharomyces boulardii
- prevents Traveller’s diarrhoea
- guards against antibiotic-associated diarrhoea – can be take at the same time as antibiotics, since it won’t be affected by antibiotics as it is a beneficial yeast and antibiotics act against bacteria
- more effective at treating Helicobacter pylori when taking alongside antibiotics for Helicobacter pylori
Streptococcus thermophilus
- aids digestion of protein, fats and lactose (23)
Further Reading And References
(7) Bacillus Subtilis – Uses, Side Effects, and More, WebMD
(9) Lacticaseibacillus Paracasei – Uses, Side Effects, and More, WebMD
(25) Culturelle’s Lacto GG Research & Health Facts, Probiotics.org
IBS Researcher 