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Probiotics, probiotic research and probiotic foods are fast growing topics as consumer awareness continues to increase. The USprobiotics.org site is a comprehensive, up-to-date resource on probiotic reseach and development and the consumer health benefits of probiotics in the United States as well as a reference for global probiotic activities.

This site will give consumers, healthcare professionals and industry professionals a good background on the world of probiotics – what they are, what we know about them, and what to consider for commercial and personal use.

Probiotic Documentaries

Probiotic documentary, sponsored in part by CDRF, is now available on DVD. “Microwarriors. The Power of Probiotics” is the most comprehensive and up-to-date film ever produced on probiotics and their contribution to overall health and well-being. See www.microwarriorsmovie.com.

New Video from Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) examining probiotics launched today. Sponsored in part by CDRF, "Germs with a Positive Attitude" features Drs. Todd Klaenhammer and Mary Ellen Sanders. Press release. See video below. CAST.


Webcasts

The Health Benefits of Probiotics
Presented at the 37th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Physician Assistants held May 23-28, 2009.

Practical Applications of Probiotics in Health and Disease
Presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American College of Nutrition held October 3, 2008.

Proceedings: "Practical Applications of Probiotics in Health and Disease"

Additional Webcasts, meeting transcripts and other resources are available here.


Free probiotic review articles

How Do We Know When Something Called "Probiotic" Is Really a Probiotic? A Guideline for Consumers and Health Care Professionals (2009)

Probiotics: Their Potential to Impact Human Health (2007)

Clinical Study Highlight
Featured Study - January 2009

The effects of probiotics on feeding tolerance, bowel habits, and gastrointestinal motility in preterm newborns.
J Pediatr. 2008 Jun;152(6):801-6.

Indrio F, Riezzo G, Raimondi F, Bisceglia M, Cavallo L, Francavilla R.

The role of probiotics in improving outcomes for very low birth weight infants is an area receiving more attention. These infants are at risk for developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), one of the major morbidities associated with premature birth. Morbidity and mortality associated with NEC appears to involve both death of part of the intestine due failed blood supply as well as bacterial invasion across the gut mucosa. A metaanalysis of probiotics and NEC has been published (Alfaleh K, Bassler D. 2008. Probiotics for prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD005496) and the authors conclude, “Enteral supplementation of probiotics reduced the risk of severe NEC and mortality in preterm infants”. In the paper highlighted here, Indrio et al (2008) provides some insight into mechanisms of how at least one probiotic might benefit preterm infants. In this pilot study, the investigators studied the reported the impact of a probiotic preparation (Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730 at 108 per day for 30 days) on clinical symptoms and gastric emptying in infants born at 34 weeks gestation. Thirty infants were enrolled. Ten were exclusively breastfed and the other 20 were randomized into groups receiving formula with or without the probiotics. Results indicated that L. reuteri improved feeding tolerance, reduced regurgitation, and reduced crying time in preterm newborns. Measures indicated that gastric emptying rate increased in the probiotic group. The probiotic used here was well tolerated and no adverse incidents were reported. These findings, in addition to studies conducted on NEC, suggest that probiotics can improve gut function in this susceptible population of preterm infants and suggest how probiotics might help these infants avoid the morbidities associated with NEC.