Best Proboitics: Proboitics Articles

After more than 20 years of thorough research, Dr. Ohhira scientifically concluded that good health prevails when the friendly bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract are properly colonized and ill health often is the result of too great a colony of bad bacteria

By Ann Louise Gittleman, N.D., C.N.S. , Total Health for Longevity

Recently, while doing research for the revision of my book, Guess What Came to Dinner, I discovered a new breakthrough dietary supplement product for the recolonization of the intestinal tract now available in the United States. The product is known as Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics 12 PLUS and is named after Dr. Iichiroh Ohhira, a renowned microbiologist from Japan. In my opinion, his probiotic is the most unique probiotic in the world today. This award-winning formula was recognized as the best product of the year by the Japanese Food and Dairy Association, which also named Dr. Ohhira as "Best Scientist of the Year."

lichiroh Ohhira, Ph.D., who studied at Okayama University in Japan, has dedicated his life to the study of human bacteria and how to improve human health by ensuring the presence of adequate colonies of friendly bacteria in the colon and elsewhere.

After more than 20 years of thorough research, Dr. Ohhira scientifically concluded that good health prevails when the friendly bacteria in the GI tract are properly colonized and ill health often is the result of too great a colony of bad bacteria. He also found that the consumption and short-term presence of good bacteria alone does not lead to good health unless the digestive tract is free from the onslaught of the harmful bacteria. This beneficial condition can only be realized by reconditioning the colonic pH. Simply introducing friendly bacteria in large numbers will not resolve the situation because an unfavorable colonic condition has already been created. Such a condition is conducive to the proliferation of harmful bacteria.

Probiotics 12 PLUS contains a proprietary blend of 12 unique strains of live lactic acid bacteria that maintain the optimum pH in the colon that is necessary to combat pathogenic bacteria like E. coli. This completely non-dairy and organic product is the only one I have found that also provides a special strain of lactic acid bacteria that has been proven in vitro to kill the most virulent antibiotic-resistant superbugs like Staphylococcus aureus. The best news of all for worldwide travelers like me is that the product has a shelf life of more than three years and does not require refrigeration due to the unique encapsulation process that Dr. Ohhira developed.

Within every human being is a flourishing, living colony of approximately four pounds of bacteria. Most of these bacteria reside in the human digestive tract although some are found elsewhere (i.e., the oral cavity, throat, etc.). Absent a sufficient number of friendly bacteria known as "problotics," human life could not exist. When a human fails to maintain a sufficient number of good bacteria in the body, disease will occur and death likely will follow.

It is extremely important for us to cultivate and maintain a healthy colony of good bacte­ria in the GI tract, a colony that is composed mainly of several strains of living lactic acid bacteria. Ideally the microflora colony in the digestive tract should be composed of a ratio of 85 percent friendly bacteria to 15 percent harmful bacteria. The regular consumption of a high-quality probiotic product that contains numerous strains of living lactic acid bacteria will enhance a person's efforts to maintain a healthy microflora colony of bacteria in the digestive tract.

The human body, although created with a proper ratio of good to bad bacteria, frequently alters the ratio of bacteria as a result of todays modern lifestyle. The use of antibiotics inhibits not only bad bacteria but also good bacteria, thus permitting bad bacteria to invade the G1 tract and multiply in high num­bers that disturb the delicate balance between the good and bad bacteria. This balance also is upset by the use of oral contraceptives, steroids, exposure to radiation through x-rays and radiation therapies, excessive consumption of chlorinated water, the consumption of refined sugars and other refined foods, poor digestion, poor elimination of waste, stress, an unhealthy diet, etc. Scientists have determined that when the delicate balance between good and bad bacte­ria is adversely altered, the body is overloaded with toxins and disease. According to immi­nent healthcare professionals, toxins emanat­ing from the G1 tract are the cause of most chronic diseases and illnesses.

Scientists also have determined that there are many negative health effects that stem from the loss of probiotics, including the lack of recirculation of female hormones such as estrogen and the overgrowth of detrimental, disease-causing bacteria and yeasts such as Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, E coli, Yersinia enterocolitis, Clostridium dificile, etc.

The presence of too few probiotics encour­ages the production of endotoxins in the G1 tract, which contributes to lupus erythemato­sus, pancreatitis, psoriasis and other skin con­ditions. A shortage of probiotics allows partially digested proteins to enter the blood­stream, contributing to eczema, nervous sys­tem disorders, rheumatoid arthritis and a variety of other immune system disorders.

G1 tract problems such as leaky bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, spastic colon and irritable bowel syndrome. are con­tributed to by a loss of probiotics and the appearance of detrimental bacteria. Specific strains of detrimental bacteria are known to cause severe health problems. For example, E coli may lead to problems with insulin and blood sugar function. Yersinia enteroco­litica produces substances that cause the overproduction of the thyroid hormone. This detrimental bacterium reportedly also contributes to various autoinumme diseases.

The colonization of the friendly bacteria in the GI tract begins at birth. Dr. Ohhira and other scientists observed that a high percentage of children nourished on mother's milk enjoy good health and a stronger immune system when compared to bottle-fed infants. He also observed that these children acquire a larger number of friendly strains of bifidobacterium when compared to bottle-fed children who have few or none at all.

Dr. Ohhlra noted that the acidic colon condition of breast-fed babies remained with­in a constant range of pH 5.5 to 6.5. His stud­ies have established that the lactic acid bacteria that colonized the colon of infants created this acidic condition. The organic acids, produced by the lactic acid bacteria present in the colon, prevent the survival of harmful bacteria in the babys intestinal tract. This inherent condition forms the first line of defense for the baby against any form of illness.

As Dr. Ohhira delved further into the sci­ence of good health, he discovered that certain naturally fermented foods consumed in Asia are a rich source of lactic acid bacteria. After years of studying the known strains of lactic acid bacteria occurring in fermented foods indigenous to Southeast Asia, Dr. Ohhira developed an award-winning probiotic that recolonizes the microflora in the digestive tract and enhances good health -- a product that is several technological generations ahead of other probiotics.

Ingredients include 92 types of natural crops including special leaves, bark, herbs and fruits, which grow wild in a vast region of the Kibi Highlands and Hiruzen Highlands of the Chugoku district in Japan, several kinds of seaweed and various organic vegetables. This proprietary blend is combined with 12 strains of lactic acid bacteria, which include the most prominent strains of bacteria possessing the highest proteolytic power in the world. In fact, scientists have established that the lactic acid bacteria contained in Dr. Ohhirds probi­otic are 6.25 times stronger than any naturally-occurring lactic acid bacteria.

Dr. Ohhira also has found that the exces­sive use of antibiotics has led to the creation of new strains of "super" bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics. To combat these new harmful invaders, Dr. Ohhirds team developed a special, transient TH10 strain of friendly lactic acid bacteria that was success­fully isolated from the Malaysian food delicacy tempeh. This special THIO strain has been found during in vitro studies to be effec­tive against the most potent antibiotic resist­ant MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) super bug as well as the E. coli 0-157 and H. pylori bacteria, the cause of most peptic ulcers.

The transient, combative THIO bacteria may be the most important strain of bacteria in Dr. Ohhirds probiotic because it kills and eliminates harmful bacteria found in the colon. It also aids in the removal of toxins pro­duced in the colon by the bad bacteria. After consumption, the TH 10 bacteria reside in the GI tract for an extended period of time where they flourish and coexist with the "colonizer" bacteria, like the lactobacillus and biftdobac­terium strains that inhabit the intestinal walls. The colonizer bacteria aid in digestion and the absorption of nutrients while along with THIO, form a barrier against the invasion of bad bacteria.

The special TH 10 strain of bacteria, as well as the I I other strains of live lactic acid bacte­ria, are created during a five-year period that includes a two-year natural fermentation peri­od (during which time superior raw materials are introduced into the probiotic mixture), a two-year "maturation~' process and a one-year period that permits the final modification of the product, all accomplished in a natural temperature environment. During this five­year period only organic ingredients are used, including wild herbs and fruits collected from the cold mountainous Chugoku district of Japan and seaweed carefully harvested from Japar~s deep and cold ocean.

During the two-year maturation process the creation of the four organic acids -- acetic, formic, fumaric and lactic -- are carefully monitored. Inspections are conducted to determine the pH and nutrient levels in the fermentation product and to guard against contamination. Inspections also assure com­pliance with stringent Japanese good manu­facturing practice (GMP) standards. When the product accumulates a scientifically preor­dained level of organic acids, the raw paste is ready for encapsulation.

A special enteric-coated capsule permits the product to remain highly viable with a stable shelf life of more than three years. The encapsulation method also assures that the 12 strains of LAB are not hostile to each other as occurs when certain strains of LAB are artifi­cially mixed together. Unlike other probiotic products it contains 12 strains of friendly "live" LAB that number in the billions as well as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, organic acids, naturally developed fructooligosachar­rides (FOS) and important natural by-products, such as hydrogen peroxide.

Dr. Ohhirds probiotic is a 100 percent natural, non-dairy, vegetarian formula. Chemicals, preservatives, artificial additives , coloring agents and animal by-products are never used. Only naturally maturing organic fertilizers are used in the growing process. Chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are not permitted. Mountain spring water is the only liquid used in the product.

Each of the ingredients is readily absorbed and used for various functions of the human body. When the colon contains a ratio of 85 percent good bacteria to 15 percent bad bacteria, the nutrients contained in foods, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other dietary supplements consumed by a human being are properly absorbed and utilized by the body. This enhances proper cellular func­tions and strengthens the body's natural immune system.

In human trials conducted at Okayama University from 1979 through 1991, 1250 subjects were randomly chosen from a sample of 5000 persons and stud­ied. The following research findings were confirmed. for those persons consuming Probiotics 12 PLUS:

• Improves digestive functions
• Improves liver function
• Improves circulatory function
• Improves bowel function
• Improves joint and muscle function
• Improves resistance to allergies
• Improves sleep functions
• Improves appetite
• Improves vitamin synthesis
• Increases lactose tolerance
• Increases nutritional absorption
• Increases energy
• Decreases incidents of digestive ailments
• Decreases incidents of stomach ailments
• Decreases incidents of bloating/heartburn
• Decreases incidents of constipation/diarrhea
• Decreases presence of yeast infection
• Decreases incidents of certain infections
• Decreases incidents of oral cavity infections