Antibiotics can prove quite unhealthy for the lower gut and is one instance whereas Lactobacillus may be needed. Yet, few probiotics survive stomach acid – as does a formula labeled Culturelle.
If you need a probiotic and it is not reaching your intestines then it is a waste of money at best.
Additionally, while there is wide-spread support for Culturelle (Lactobacillus GG), most of the positive studies originate outside of the U.S. So the question is, can Culturelle really help consumers?
What is Lactobacillus?
Lactobacillus is essentially healthy bacteria that predominately reside in the intestines, among many other bacteria. It is also found in saliva and other mucosal linings.
Lactobacillus helps combat harmful bacteria via lactic acid production, if the bacteria colonize in sufficient number.
Antibiotic therapy is just one cause for intestinal health problems, but one Culturelle may resolve efficiently, if not prevent.
Antibiotics are problematic in that these medicines kill both the good (e.g. Lactobacillus) and bad bacteria. Thus, harmful bacteria become more opportunistic, and they flourish. Doctors increasingly recognize the benefits of Lactobacillus GG (Culturelle strain), at least for antibiotic-related diarrhea.
All strains of Lactobacillus are not created equal though and is one reason Culturelle stands out among supportive clinical studies.
Additionally, Lactobacillus is found in some foods such as yogurt and aged cheese as well as fermented beverages, but strength and strain consistency varies.
What is Culturelle?
Containing Lactobacillus GG, a hardy Lactobacillus strain, Culturelle contains at least 10 billion Lactobacillus cells per capsule.
Culturelle capsules are sold over-the-counter, individually foil wrapped, and do not need to be refrigerated. Though the expiration date on the Culturelle box is of particular importance.
While over 300 studies have been done on Lactobacillus GG, the FDA limits labeling as to any health benefits Culturelle may provide.
Currently, Culturelle is designed to “promote regularity” and to “reduce bowel and stomach discomfort.”
While diarrhea is not a glamorous topic, it is a potential killer of infants in particular. But the potential health benefits of Culturelle may not stop there.
Medical Studies on Lactobacillus GG
Among the numerous studies on the Culturelle strain, some are better established, while others are in their infancy, scientifically speaking.
Intestinal-related disorders and Lactobacillus GG:
A number of studies have been done on the bacteria known to cause stomach ulcers, Helicobacter pylori, and Lactobacillus GG. The probiotic may prove beneficial: Diarrhea, nausea and taste disturbance were found significantly reduced in one study.
An India-based study found that the duration of both vomiting and diarrhea was shortened in children infected with E. coli, Shigella or Clostridium difficile. The study is not isolated, and in this case the dose was 60 million cells of Lactobacillus GG daily, a fraction of the dose found in Culturelle.
Lactobacillus GG is postulated to provide relief for Inflammatory bowel disease and lower the risk of colon cancer, but this needs further study.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Culturelle
Another potential benefit of Lactobacillus GG (Culturelle equivalent) is alleviating symptoms associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Three of four studies found on a PubMed search were non-U.S. based (Canada, Poland and Finland). These three clinical studies reported positive findings with Lactobacillus GG and IBS, and particularly with continued dosing.
The U.S. study showed little to no benefit with IBS and Lactobacillus GG treatment, except perhaps for relief of “perceived abdominal distention.”
Stress? Pass the Cheese or Culturelle
Lactobacillus GG, may also help with the overgrowth of harmful bacteria caused by stress. An Italian study supported such effects with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This cheese, in late aging, contains the same strain found in Culturelle.
Lactobacillus GG, Allergy and the Immune System
One study, conducted in India, showed that Lactobacillus (rhamnosus) GG, or Culturelle strain, given to maternal mice perinatally, before and after pregnancy, suppresses allergic airway inflammation in mouse offspring.
Additional studies on allergy and Lactobacillus GG support increased infant immunity, though research is primarily limited to study animals. However, at least one European study supports the Culturelle strain. Gut flora balance in infants may improve when mothers take Lactobacillus GG during breast-feeding.
Further, a study from Germany found that Lactobacillus GG had positive effects on the cellular immune system of healthy adult volunteers and is worthy of further investigation for systemic immunomodulation – activation or suppression of positive and negative immune system cells.
Food allergy, and the immune response to Lactobacillus GG, is also under continued investigation. If Culturelle works as the studies indicate, children and infants were found more receptive.
Culturelle, European versus U.S. Studies
An Italian study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) supports that probiotic treatment varies considerably. Further that physicians, in this case pediatricians, should choose bacterial preparations based on effectiveness data.
This BMJ study also supports the Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain GG found in Culturelle.
Conversely, the Aug 2007 issue of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine found seemingly deleterious effects from Culturelle. This for children in a hospital setting with risk of hospital acquired infections. Those that took Culturelle had more infection than the control group who took insulin as a placebo.
The study was prematurely aborted and the children deemed “medically fragile.” Lack of evidence aside, it is worth noting that the safety of Lactobacillus GG or Culturelle may not be all inclusive, though little adverse reactions have been noted. Note that Culturelle may contain trace levels of whey and casein, proteins found in milk.
Labeled as safe for both infants and children, a pediatrician should be consulted for more information on Culturelle or other probiotics.
Culturelle – Who Do You Believe?
Culturelle/Lactobacillus GG needs more study as a safe and potentially effective treatment for a variety of health conditions and disorders. Most non-US studies show some benefit with the Culturelle strain.
Where U.S. studies are concerned, publications more receptive towards alternative medicine seem to better support the Culturelle strain.
What does appear to be largely agreed upon is that the Lactobacillus strain matters and that Culturelle is both independently assayed and verified.
Conclusion
Whether or not Culturelle is your probiotic of choice ensure that the Lactobacillus you take will survive the stomach acid. Also, check some of the supporting links below for more information on Lactobacillus GG.
This consumer article is not designed to replace medical advice or consultation.
