The MYTH OF Bacteria Count In Probiotics

Some people in the United States continue to believe the myth that a probiotic product is inferior if the bacterial count does not equal several tens of billions. This belief is wrong and its proponents most likely are not familiar with state-of-the-art probiotic products developed in Japan using a five-year, natural temperature fermentation process!

The Japanese, recognized as leaders in the development and use of probiotics, discontinued their efforts to further increase the bacterial count in their probiotic products more than a decade ago. That decision was based on scientific research that ultimately led to the development of new, high technology probiotic products.

Usually, a product that contains tens of billions of live lactic acid bacteria is endorsed because of the mistaken belief (and hope) that substantial numbers of the bacteria might survive the challenging journey that begins with the manufacturing process and concludes with the implantation of bacteria in the colon. It has now been established that the majority of the lactic acid bacteria contained in high bacterial count products die before they are consumed. Also, many of the remaining bactena are often killed after consumption and before they are able to implant themselves in the upper colon.

By the time freeze-dried and certain other probiotic products are eaten, they do not contain the high numbers of live lactic acid bacteria guaranteed by the manufacturer to be present at the time of packaging. Eighty percent of the bacteria die before consumption! The remaining live bacteria often do not survive the trip from the mouth to the colon because of their inability to endure exposure to harsh stomach acids. Live bacteria also die after reaching the colon if sufficient levels of naturally developed fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are not present when they arrive. The natural FOS are required to nourish the bacteria and permit their survival while battling the well-established colonies of bad microflora already in the colon.

Japanese research scientists, including the award-winning microbiologist, Iichiroh Ohhira, Ph.D., and his team of research scientists from Okayama University, do not recommend using probiotic products that allegedly contain tens of billions of live lactic acid bacteria.

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