Lactobacillus acidophilus is a bacteria that lives in the gut of humans and has beneficial properties. When people take antibiotics, many of the friendly intestinal bacteria are eliminated. Acidophilus supplements help replenish some of these colonic bacteria after antibiotic use.

Probiotics and prebiotics products and supplements
Probiotics and prebiotics are two food ingredients that have physiologic effects through the gastrointestinal tract.

Probiotics have been defined as live microorganisms that (when ingested) have a beneficial effect in the prevention and treatment of specific medical conditions. These microorganisms are believed to exert biological effects through a phenomenon known as colonization resistance, whereby the indigenous anaerobic flora limits the concentration of potentially harmful (mostly aerobic) germs in the digestive tract. Other modes of action, such as supplying enzymes or influencing enzyme activity in the gastrointestinal tract, may also account for some of the other functions that have been attributed to probiotics.

Probiotic bacteria are believed to positively affect the immune response by improving the intestinal microbial balance leading to enhanced antibody production and phagocytic (devouring or killing) activity of white blood cells. Bifidobacterium lactis could be an effective probiotic dietary supplement for enhancing some aspects of cellular immunity in the elderly.

Probiotic supplements for children
Many infants and children may be lacking beneficial bacteria, and supplements could potentially help them get fewer infections. Compared with standard formulas, those containing beneficial "probiotic" organisms seem to reduce the number and duration of diarrhea episodes in infants attending childcare centers. Of two types of probiotics tested -- Lactobacillus reuteri and Bifidobacterium lactis -- Lactobacillus may be the better supplement, according to the report in the medical journal Pediatrics. Probiotic supplements affect the immune response by improving the intestinal microbial balance leading to enhanced antibody production. Another study indicates that children who take probiotic supplements suffer fewer respiratory infections.

Benefit
Acidophilus is of benefit in replenishing colon bacteria after antibiotic use. It may be of benefit in irritable bowel syndrome. Acidophilus may not benefit those who use it during acute diarrhea.

Antioxidant effect
Antioxidative activity of lactobacilli measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity.
J Dairy Science 2005.
Cultures of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis, delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, acidophilus, and casei were evaluated and found to provide a source of dietary antioxidants.

Allergic rhinitis
Clinical effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus strain L-92 on perennial allergic rhinitis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
J Dairy Science 2005.
Patients with perennial allergic rhinitis were randomized to receive either 100 ml of heat-treated fermented milk containing L-92 or acidified milk without lactic acid bacteria (placebo) for 8 wk. The severity of symptoms was evaluated based on the changes in the scores of clinical symptoms. Oral administration of milk fermented with acidophilus resulted in a statistically significant improvement of nasal symptom-medication scores. Ocular symptom-medication scores of patients in the L-92 intervention group tended to improve compared with those in the placebo group. In addition, clear decreases of the scores of swelling and color of the nasal mucosa were observed in the acidophilus intervention group at 6 and 8 wk after the start of ingestion of fermented milk. There were no significant differences in serum antihouse dust mite immunoglobulin E levels nor in T helper type 1/T helper type 2 ratio between the 2 groups. These results suggest that oral administration of acidophilus can alleviate the symptoms of perennial allergic rhinitis, however, statistically significant changes were not shown in blood parameters.

Colon cancer post surgery
World J Surgury 2015. A Four-Probiotics Regimen Reduces Postoperative Complications After Colorectal Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Heterogeneous results of published studies led to conduct a randomized clinical trial to assess the efficacy of a new formulation of four probiotics as prophylaxis for complications after colorectal surgery. A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study was conducted enrolling patients undergoing colorectal surgery for cancer. Capsules of placebo or of a formulation containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. p lantarum, Bifidobacterium lactis and Saccharomyces boulardii were administered starting one day before operation and continuing for another 15 days postoperatively. Patients were followed up for 30 days with the development of postoperative complications as the primary outcome. The studied probiotic formulation significantly decreased the risk of postoperative complications, namely mechanical ventilation, infections and anastomotic leakage.

Gastrointestinal system benefit, intestinal tract
The effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium administration on the morphology of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas in piglets.
Polish J Veterinary Sciences 2005.
The experiment was performed on 15 piglets at the age from 3 to 35 days, intragastrically administered with Bifidobacterium breve, B. animalis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria. The administration of bacteria, especially of Lactobacillus acidophilus, caused an increase in the number of lymphocytes and lymphoid cells in lamina propria and intraepithelial lymphocytes in the small intestine. Enhanced proliferation of crypt cells was observed in the crypts of intestinal glands. The administration of probiotic bacteria has no negative impact on the morphology of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and pancreas and is found beneficial to its functioning and immune processes.

Biomed Res Int. 2014. Long-term use of probiotics Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium has a prophylactic effect on the occurrence and severity of pouchitis: a randomized prospective study.. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the long-term use of the composite probiotics in patients after restorative proctocolectomy. Forty-three patients (20 females and 23 males, aged 21 to 68 years) after restorative proctocolectomy were included in the study. After randomization patients were divided into placebo group and treatment group with oral intake of probiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and Bifidobacterium bifidus. Patients were investigated during initial visit and during final visit after 9 months. All patients were subjected to standard clinical and endoscopic examination with microscopic study of the specimens. Concentrations of calprotectin and pyruvate kinase isoenzyme M2-PK were determined in all cases. The average severity of pouchitis and the number of patients with pouchitis significantly decrease after 9 months of the probiotic taking. The concentrations of calprotectin and pyruvate kinase isoenzyme M2-PK significantly decreased after the therapy. Nine months of the probiotic treatment (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and Bifidobacterium bifidus) reduced the number of patients with pouchitis, decreased the PDAI score, and also decreased the fecal pyruvate kinase and calprotectin. The long-term probiotics use is safe and well accepted and can be an effective method of the pouchitis prevention.

Pregnancy
Can acidophilus pills be taken during pregnancy?
    Probably. These pills should be safe during pregnancy but asking for your doctor's approval is a good idea.

Availability of product
You can find acidophilus in powder, liquid, tablet or capsule, and even chewable. It is effective whether used in tablet, chewable or capsule form.

Yogurt
Is acidophilus lactobacillus yogurt a good way to ingest these bacteria?
   It depends. You have to read the label of the yogurt container to make sure adequate amounts of the bacteria are present. Also, too much dairy consumption may not be a good choice for some people.

Acidophilus side effects, is it safe?
No major side effect with acidophilus have been reported thus far. We have not had any reports of anyone experiencing muscle aches, headache, or vomiting.

Use with medications
Is it okay to take acidophilus pills with Lexapro and Xanax medications?
    I have not seen such studies where it has been combined with Lexapro, Xanax or other medications for anxiety and depression but acidophilus pills are quite safe and have hardly any side effects. I still suggest having approval by your health care provider.

Use with dietary supplements
Can soil organisms be taken together?
   Different companies make different such products and it is not easy to give an answer that applies to all of them.
 

Products sold online
 

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Other products to buy online
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Source Naturals Freeze Stabilized Acidophilus is an advanced probiotic product that supports colon health by altering the intestinal ecology to favor friendly flora. It also manufactures some B-vitamins, especially folic acid. The bacteria cells are specially protected before and after freeze drying by a unique stabilizing process.
Supplement Facts, dosage
Freeze dried Lactobacillus acidophilus 300 mg each pill
(approx. 3,000,000,000 viable cells at the time of encapsulation)