Lactobacillus Acidophilus Dosage for Adults, Kids and Infants

Lactobacillus acidophilus is a well-known and widely used probiotic supplement. Large corporations, like Danon Company (and Dannon Products) sell lines of yogurt and milk food products containing L. acidophilus in more than 30 countries.

Popular drinks containing acidophilus bacteria, like Yakult, continue to be used by millions of consumers every day. Besides dairy and food products, lactobacillus acidophilus is also available in capsule, pill, tablet, powder and liquid form.

Many health-conscious individuals include this common and natural probiotic as part of their daily nutritional plan. Food products typically contain a lower number of live bacteria than capsules or pills.

With so many options available, it can become difficult to know which acidophilus dosage is right for your needs.

Probiotics

Digestive Supplement

Gut Health

Digestion

Immune Function

How It Works:

• Supports a healthy immune system & microflora
• Promotes digestion & nutrient absoprtion
• Combats pathogenic bacteria; Improves metabolism

Dosage:

Between 1 - 10 Billion CFUs per day

Safety:

Rated Likely Safe

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Acidophilus Effects & Functions

Human infants are born with sterile digestive tracts. Most babies gain a majority of their initial bacterial load during vaginal birthing and from the breast milk of their mother.

In addition to these helpful bacteria, infants constantly encounter fungi and other bacteria in their immediate environment, all of which can find their way into the fragile infant gastrointestinal tract.

Over time, a balance between the good and bad bacteria is struck. If the balance is right, good digestion typically ensues. At any given point in time, a healthy GI tract will have about 80% good bacteria and about 20% bad (unhealthy) bacteria.

The pathogenic bacteria are kept in check because of microorganisms like acidophilus which convert sugars from the foods we eat into acids (like lactic acid) and hydrogen peroxide. This results in an unfriendly environment for bad bacteria to colonize and cause illness.

When the balance in the gut microflora isn’t right, many kinds of intestinal disturbances can result. Some people experience gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, constipation or diarrhea.

Other people develop more serious digestive dysfunction like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and Crohn’s Disease.

The Role of Acidophilus

Acidophilus functions mainly within the small intestine where it works to convert lactose into lactic acid.

Many people who are lactose intolerant find their symptoms significantly decrease, or are even eliminated, when supplementing with the appropriate lactobacillus acidophilus dosage.

Unhealthy bacterial species are unable to survive in the acidic environment created by lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals created by the probiotic organisms.

Acidophilus works hand-in-hand with other lactic acid-producing bacteria to enhance the function of the microflora within the intestine.

Acidophilus and Anti-Biotics

Keeping the balance in correct proportion can be difficult once a disruption has occurred. One of the most common disruptive factors is antibiotic medications.

These helpful medications can cause a decrease in many of the probiotic bacteria because antibiotics are unable to clearly differentiate between good and bad bacteria. This causes them to kill whatever organisms they encounter in order to fight off infection within the body.

Many doctors recommend high dosage probiotic supplementation for their patients who have recently taken a course of antibiotics in order to restore proper balance to the GI tract quickly and effectively.

What Acidophilus Dosage Is Right?

It is important to take sufficiently large quantities of any probiotic in order for positive effects to occur. There is a critical mass of live Colony Forming Units required to experience the benefits of supplementing with Lactobacillus Acidophillus.

In many cases, probiotic supplements sold in grocery stores and by other non-specialty retailers may not contain appropriate dosages of these probiotic organisms. Furthermore, many supplements contain fewer viable cells of probiotics than what is advertised on the bottle due to difficulty with packaging and storing these live microorganisms.

People with healthy digestive tracts are served well by simply adding 2-3 servings of acidophilus yogurt or milk to their diet each day.

Every serving of these food products usually contains 10 million – 100 million live bacterial cells when they are manufactured. Some brands are better than others at making sure those live cultures make it through to the time of consumption.

If dosing with acidophilus yogurt or milk products, read labels carefully for statements which clarify the number of active cultures at the time of consumption.

Using Acidophilus Oral Supplements

Individuals experiencing symptoms like gas, bloating or abdominal discomfort will do better by adding an acidophilus supplement to their daily regimen.

Choose a formula which combines a therapeutic dose of acidophilus bacteria with other probiotic bacteria like bifidobacterium bifidum and B. lactis.

These different strains help to support each other, promoting a healthier microflora environment. Some probiotic microorganisms are well-researched and have been shown to work in concert with each other to address digestive disorders.

Taking a daily supplement with a standardized dose of these combined with 6 billion – 10 billion acidophilus CFU is recommended.

Individuals with more serious digestive tract issues, including IBS or Crohn’s Disease often need to experiment with combinations of other probiotics in conjunction with an acidophilus dosage to find the correct formula for their own unique system.

The use of a daily record has proven beneficial for many people with chronic digestive disorders. Acidophilus doses, in combination with other species and strains, may initially be in the range of 10 billion – 20 billion cultures. Some individuals need to start low to allow their system time to adjust, and then increase weekly until reaching effective dosage.

Is Acidophilus Safe?

Most people can take probiotics without experiencing any side effects. Individuals with compromised immune systems should not take probiotic supplements.

Review

Acidophilus is a probiotic bacteria found naturally within the human gut. It works primarily within the small intestine where it converts lactose into lactic acid and other essential chemical substrates. The best lactobacillus acidophilus dosages are largely dependent on the individual and their unique health needs.

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