Names of Probiotics - Is What You Buy Really a Probiotic?

Names of Probiotics - Is What You Buy Really a Probiotic?

This researcher, Gregor Reid, has a Canadian company, Urex Biotech, that has patents on 2 of the probiotics listed at the end of this text. He mainly studies Urogenital infections in women, but since the claim is that the vagina is populated from rectal sources, there may be something to be learned for gut infections.
Jarrow Fem dolphilus is one product I found that has the 2 probiotics patented by Urex Biotch.
http://www.vitacost.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Fem-Dophilus-60-Capsules-1#Ingredient...

WellCome

Names of probiotics – Is what you buy a probiotic?
http://pmj.bmj.com/content/79/934/428.long
2003
Excerpted from link above

Questions (True (T)/False (F) Answers at the end.
1. Probiotics are defined as friendly bacteria that improve intestinal wellbeing.
2. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are the most commonly used probiotic organisms.
3. Lactobacilli probiotics can be used to treat urinary tract infections.
4. L acidophilus available on most health food store probiotics can clear bacterial vaginosis.
5. Yoghurt contains bacteria designed to reduce the risk of intestinal and vaginal infection.
6. Most vaginal and bladder pathogens, as well as the normal flora of the vagina ascend from the rectal skin.
7. All hydrogen peroxide producing lactobacilli kill Candida albicans.
8. FAO/WHO guidelines for probiotics make it essential that human studies proving health benefits are produced in order for a product to be referred to as a probiotic.

Answers
1. F, 2. T, 3. F, 4. F, 5. F, 6. T, 7. F, 8. T.

A quick physician guide to probiotic use
The following are some critical points for physicians to remember and consider with respect to probiotics.
A clear understanding of the term “probiotic” is required.
The definition “live micro-organisms
which when administered in adequate amounts
confer a health benefit on the host”
means that if a product and its strain(s)
have not been proven to confer a health benefit
in peer reviewed, published studies,
the term probiotic does not apply.
Currently, there are only a few recognised lactobacilli or bifidobacterial strains which meet these
Food and Agriculture Organization/
World Health Organization criteria.

The most documented strains include
L rhamnosis GG (Valio, Finland),
L rhamnosus GR-1 and
L fermentu RC-14 (Urex Biotech, Canada followed by
L casei Shirota (Yakult, Japan),
L acidophilus NCFM (Rhodia USA),
L reuteri MM53 (Biogaia, Sweden),
L plantarum 299V (Probi, Sweden),
L johnsonnei LJ1 (Nestlé, Switzerland),
B lactis BB12 (Chr Hansen, Denmark),
B longum BB536 (Morinaga, Japan), and
some others.
If the label does not state the strain name and number,
then the product does not contain
any of these organisms.

In terms of urogenital health,
only GR-1 and RC-14 have supportive data.

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