When you hear the word bacteria, what do you think? Probably something along the lines of: “Bacteria is bad, kill it now!”

Yes, many types of bacteria are harmful. They can cause infections and make you very sick. You have probably also heard about the scary drug resistant bacteria like MRSA that are now rampant in hospitals.

But what about good bacteria?

One of the most important things to know about bacteria is that "good bacteria" keep bad bacteria in check. You have bacteria all over your body. It coats your skin, lines your intestinal walls and protects your eyes. And did you know that your food is covered in bacteria?

Princeton geneticist and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Bonnie Bassler said in an interview about bacteria: “You have 10 billion bacterial cells in your gut. You only have 1 billion human cells making up your whole body. So there are 10 times more bacterial cells in you, or on you, than human cells. By weight, you are more human than bacteria, because your cells are bigger, but by numbers, it's not even close.”

So what do good bacteria do for you?

1. Keep the bad bacteria in check and fights pathogens in the body.


2. Help you break down certain foods, like starches.


3. Promote the storage of energy as fat.


4. Help your body synthesize vitamins in your gut.


5. Increase your ability to renew cells in your intestines, getting rid of damaging cells that could lead to intestinal cancer.


6. Help newborns develop their immune systems, by being passed from mother to child in the birthing process.


7. Another possibility supported by some research: Aid the immune system in fighting allergies and hay fever.

So how do you insure that you have enough of the good bacteria? People who have regularly taken antibiotics, have poor digestive health or who have compromised immune systems would benefit from supplementing with probiotics. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines probiotics as: "live microorganisms administered in adequate amounts which confer a beneficial health effect on the host." Many health practitioners recommend supplementing with probiotics any time you take antibiotics.

Sources of probiotics include:

• Cultured foods such as yogurt and kefir. US Probiotics reports: “For centuries, folklore suggested that fermented dairy products containing live active cultures are healthful. Recent controlled scientific investigation supports these traditional views, suggesting that probiotics are a valuable part of a healthy diet.” One challenge with buying yogurt or other products that claim to deliver probiotics is that the heat treatment of yogurt kills live cultures. In order to help consumers determine if live, active cultures are in a product, the National Yogurt Association established a “Live Active Culture” seal. Unfortunately, when the active counts are listed on the product, they do not distinguish between starter cultures (needed to make yogurt) and the probiotic cultures. So, if you really want to know the counts, you need to contact the manufacturer.


• Nutritional supplements. You can buy probiotics over the counter in the health food section of your store. They are available in capsules, powders, liquids or tablets. It is important to choose a high-quality product. Look for documentation of the type of bacteria, the potency (number of bacteria per dose), and an assurance of purity. A high quality product will contain at least 4 billion viable organisms for adults and 1 billion for children. They are safe to take while pregnant and breastfeeding and there are specific formulas available for babies and young children. These supplements should be refrigerated in order to stay fresh. For more information, check out the US Probiotics website.

As always, please consult your health practitioner with questions about your specific health issues and before adding new supplements into your daily routine.

Do you have a supplement that you recommend? Do you have a success story about using probiotics for your family? Please leave a comment and share your experience!