What Are the Benefits of Lactobacillus Acido?

Lactobacillus acidopholus, or acido, is a strain of bacteria that creates large amounts of lactic acid from carbohydrates that aid in digestion. Lactobacillus benefits the intestinal tract and helps maintain healthy bacteria levels.

Benefits

• According to Dr. John Whitman Ray, Lactobacillus acido is "essential" to vitamin absorption, helps lower cholesterol and enhances immune system function. It can also help some people with inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's or irritable bowel syndrome.

Effects

• Supplementing with Lactobacillus after using an oral antibiotic can replenish healthy microflora in the gut, Ray said.

Function

• Lactobacillus bacteria help detoxify the body from pollutants, Ray reported.

Types

• Lactobacillus acidophilus is available as an oral supplement or in probiotic blends, or added to several brands of yogurt. Kefir is another source of Lactobacillus bacteria.

Significance

• According to N.P. Shah, of Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, who led a symposium on probiotics and dairy products, Lactobacillus is one of the three major strains of beneficial bacteria used in most commercial probiotic formulas.