L.ACIDOPHILUS

  In 1908 Metchnikoff proposed that  lactobacillus acidophilus (L A) played an  important role in the prolongation of human  life through its role in improving the  intestinal environment.

  Metchnikoff's suggestion provoked  considerable work on the clinical utility of  LA (reviewed by Kopeloff (1926) and by  Rettger and his colleagues (1935)).  Unfortunately, LA products had an acid and  cooked taste and were not palatable. After a  hiatus in the use of these products during  World War II, general interest in LA was not renewed until the  1960s.

  Supplementation with LA is an important tool for the maintenance  and recovery of health. LA serve directly as antidepressants and  mild euphrants since their cell walls contain phenethylalanine (PEA).  LA reduce the detoxification burden on the liver because LA inhibit  gram negative organisms from proliferating. Fewer gram negative  pathogens means a smaller total burden of endotoxin which is found  in the cell walls of these pathogens.

  LA facilitate the adsorption of food and reduce absorption of  allergenic proteins; LA manufactures B vitamins and vitamin K; and  LA size and tone the colon by increasing the size and improving the  composition of feces. Where the diet is adequately supplied with  unrefined carbohydrates and fiber the stool is as much as 85%  bacteria, almost all of which are LA. When the ecology of the gut  supports a flourishing growth of LA the production of toxins in the  colon is almost completely eliminated. Several reviews survey these  findings, Sandine et al (1972), Drasar and Hill (1974) and Speck  (1978).

  Discussion

  Intestinal ecology  A favorable intestinal ecology is facilitated by treatment with LA  (Beck & Necheles, 1961); infants gain weight after LA feedings  (Robinson & Thompson, 1972); E. coli and other pathogens decrease  and fecal LA increase after feeding LA (Mutai et al, 1978), and  nonfermented LA milk (Gilliland et al, 1971).

  Prophylaxis  The major pathway for the lesion of alcoholic sclerosis of the liver  may be through an increase in gram negative pathogens. Since  endotoxin is found in the cell walls of these pathogens the liver's  capacity to detoxify endotoxin may be overcome. Alcohol kills gram  positive organisms, including LA, but gram negative pathogens  thrive in the alcohol intoxicated gut. LA are antagonistic to S.  aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, E. coli and Clostridum perfringens  and other pathogens (Gilliland & Speck, 1977); on the other hand,  phenethylalanine (PEA), an autogenous antidepressant, is found in  the cell walls of gram positive organisms.

  LA manufacture B vitamins and vitamin K; LA increase the bulk  and improve the composition of feces; LA aid digestion, completely  breaking down lactose and galactose; the frequency of eosinophilic  leukocytes and immunoglobulin A (IgA) are a function of LA; IgA  and LA are often deficient or absent in the gut of schizophrenics  (Brown, 1977); and gastrointestinal symptoms associated with many  diseases are relieved by aggressive treatment with LA (Rettger op  cit).

  Antibiotic treatment is followed by an increase in pathogenic  bacteria and a decrease in facilitative bacteria such as LA (Dubose et  al, 1963). Salmonellosis increased after WWII and LA decreased  (Speck, 1978).

  Stress is followed by a reduction in LA; meat, alkaline foods,  alcohol, sugar and other foods reduce LA (Brown, 1977).

  Ordinary Yogurt is Not Adequate  L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus and S. Lactis rapidly replace LA in  yogurt. LA are not stable in yogurt and are replaced by other  organisms (Gilliland & Speck, 1977). While yogurt made with L.  bulgaricus and other benign organisms may be beneficial to humans,  e.g. reducing cholesterol (Hepner et al, 1979), these non-LA yogurts  do not increase the ongoing viability of intestinal flora and may even  reduce LA (Gilliland & Speck, 1977a, 1977b).

  Monitoring Treatment is Easy  Breastfed infants rapidly establish L. bifidis (LB) throughout their  originally sterile intestines (Tissier, 1900; Matu & Urutai, 1971); LA  and LB can be made to grow in the intestine to the exclusion (95%)  of almost all other organisms (Weiss & Rettger, 1934). The  establishment of thriving LA is readily observable in the stool  (Rettger op cit).

  Palatable Acidophilus Milk  A commercial LA product was developed at North Carolina State  University in 1975. This product, added to lowfat milk is  indistinguishable in taste from ordinary lowfat milk (Speck, 1975); it  implants in the human gut; suppresses gram positive organisms (E.  coli and others) (Gilliland and Speck, 1977b); and appears to have  beneficial effects in human GI illnesses, especially those  characterized by diarrhea (Speck, 1975, 1978).

  Commercial Strains of LA Adapt to the Human Gut  Rettger (op cit) and other early workers demonstratd that successful  implantation of LA in the human gut was followed by symptomatic  relief in mucous colitis, irritable colon, idiopathic ulcerative colitis,  and various disorders complicated with constipation and biliary  symptoms. It was demonstrated that many individuals resist  implantation. Recent work verifies Rettger's finding and indicates  that LA does not thrive in media which contains l. bulgaricus or  other facilitative bacteria (Gilliland and Speck, 1977a). The North  Carolina State researchers found that commercial products  advertising LA content in conjunction with other lactobacilli in fact  do not contain appreciable numbers of LA.

  LA and Candida albicans  LA is a normal inhabitant of the healthy human female vaginal vault  and is antagonized by vaginomycosis. C. albicans often infests the  vagina of depressed women and other psychiatric clients and  vaginitis is a routine consequence of pellagra. A common midwife  remedy for vaginomycosis is a buttermilk or yogurt douche.

  Some Clinical Observations in Psychiatric clients  We observed a series of psychiatric clients (1969 through 1989); most  of these clients suffered idiopathic food sensitivities as well as their  primary illness and they had fewer LA in stools than normal  controls. Psychiatric clients typically had less than 5% LA in stools.

  We gave freeze dried LA preparations as supplements to adolescent  psychiatric clients (1969-1974); and LA preparations, LA  supplemented milk or yogurt cultured from LA milk to adult and  adolescent clients (1975 - 1989). When LA increased in stools most  clients reported reduction of GI symptoms; and the signs and  symptoms associated with food allergy were reduced (frequent  bruising, allergic shiners, suborbital edema, myalgia, idiopathic  fatigue and endogenous depression).

  Almost all milk intolerant clients tolerated freeze dried LA well; and  many such clients had no difficulty eating LA yogurt. LA milk was  tolerated by some milk intolerant clients. Commercial "Sweet  Acidophilus" milk proved an adequate source of LA, especially  when cultured into yogurt. Impantation and symptom reduction  were adequately produced when "Sweet Acidophilus" milk was used  as the source of LA for yogurt cultures. Implantation of LA was  more readily obtained by the use of yogurt cultured from "Sweet  Acidophilus" milk than by the use of "Sweet Acidophilus" milk  without yogurt.

  Resistance to LA Implantation  Rettger (op cit) reported that clients require extremely large and  persistent supplements of LA. We found this to be true among our  clients. We found that dosages as large as 20 standard capsules of  LA at meals for 30 days were required to establish LA in the stools  of some clients. In several of these resistant clients LA disappeared  from stools as soon as supplementation ended.

  Most clients maintained a self reproducing colony of LA after they  were given three courses of supplementation for a week interspersed  with a week rest from supplementation. In the initial period 10  capsules of LA are given with meals for a week.

  Subsequently clients are advised to take 10 standard capsules of LA  before breakfast, at least once a week, to eat some foods with an  acid ash at breakfast, and to observe their stools for the  characteristic larger size, lighter color, and tolerable odor associated  with LA implantation.

  All clients are advised to avoid modern foods, to eat much fiber and  to emphasize unprocessed carbohydrates in their diet. A pint of LA  yogurt or two quarts of LA milk per day may be adequate  substitutes for the freeze dried preparations.

  LA and Candida albicans  We have observed a series of 16 women treated for vaginomycosis by  douching daily with yogurt cultured from LA while daily consuming  10-20 capsules of freeze dried LA, a pint of LA yogurt, or a quart of  LA milk until LA predominates among the microorganisms in the  stools.

  In 13 of 16 cases the symptoms of vaginitis responded to LA  treatment and the clients enjoyed a concurrant lifting of mood. In 3  cases observed in 1981 the clients' skin responded with a positive  wheal after intradermal injection of 1:1000 C. albicans vaccine  before LA treatment; but after two weeks of LA supplementation an  identical injection produced no positive wheal.

  Method of Culturing LA Yogurt  In the eastern states LA milk is available in almost all supermarkets  under various brand names. This milk is taken and placed directly in  one of the containers in a standard yogurt maker (Salton Yogurt  Maker, sold by Sears and other stores). The LA milk should not be  processed in any way. It is merely poured from the milk box into the  yogurt maker glass jar. After 10-20 hours of incubation either a firm  yogurt is formed, or a separated white curd with clear whey is found.  The white curd or the yogurt is then used as a starter.

  Experience indicates that regular, non-LA milk, is best used in the  second stage. This milk is brought to a simmer without permitting it  to boil. The milk is then allowed to cool to the range indicated on  the thermometer supplied with the yogurt incubator. All the jars are  then filled and the incubator left on for 10 hours. The resulting  palatable yogurt is rich in LA.

  Some clients have difficulty following these simple instructions. Our  solution to this has been to supply them with yogurt starter, and to  hold classes for them at our offices. Since most of our clients are  encouraged to rotate foods, to use exotic foods, to prepare foods in  ways novel to them and substantially to change their food  preparation habits, this added instruction is not a burden to them or  to us.

  Summary  Observation of a long series of psychiatric clients disclosed a  deficiency of lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) in their stools associated  with GI symptoms and other evidence of idiosyncratic reactions to  food. These clients were also deficient in Immunoglobulin A and had  high levels of eosinophilic leukocytes.

  Supplementation with high levels of LA in the form of freeze dried  LA in capsules, LA cultured milk yogurt, or LA implanted milk  ("Sweet Acidophilus") resulted in grossly observable changes in  stools, increase in stool LA, and reduction of symptoms associated  with food.

  Infestations of Candida albicans responded, in 13 of 16 women, to  LA douches and LA dietary supplementation. Associated symptoms  were relieved as the vaginitis responded to the treatment.

  Rettger's early observation that extremely large supplements are  required to establish LA was confirmed in these trials. Not less than  10 standard capsules of freeze dried LA per meal for five days  appear to be the minimum effective dose for initiating implantation  of LA.