“A systematic review of the efficacy of probiotics in IBS that included 19 randomized controlled trials in 1,628 IBS patients found that probiotics are effective in IBS, but we do not have enough information to be sure whether there is one probiotic that is particularly effective or whether combinations of probiotics are required,” said Dr. Paul Moayyedi, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, NY.

What is IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of abdominal discomfort or pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. This discomfort, pain, or cramping can be a dull ache or it can be severe, according to IBSanswers.net, a web resource for those who suffer from IBS.

Types of IBS

Doctors distinguish different forms of IBS based on bowel patterns reported by patients. Some people with IBS suffer from constipation, diarrhea, or both.2 Symptoms can vary by person, but the three types of IBS are:

• IBS with constipation

• IBS with diarrhea

• Mixed IBS with both constipation and diarrhea

Affecting 25 to 55 million people in the United States, IBS results in 2.5 to 3.5 million yearly visits to physicians. Twenty to 40 percent of all visits to gastroenterologists are due to symptoms of irritable bowel. Not surprisingly, dozens of research studies have been conducted in search of answers about IBS, and how to minimize the discomfort associated with this common syndrome. Several studies have examined probiotics, meaning the “friendly” bacteria that reside in our intestinal tracts. The findings of these studies indicate that probiotics may play a role in treating and preventing IBS.

The British Nutrition Foundation carried out a review of probiotics and health in 2008. The review states that, “Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms have been found to be reduced by consuming probiotics.”

Research published in the March, 2009 issue of Postgraduate Medicine concluded that after an eight-week study, probiotics could, “Improve the severity and frequency of symptoms associated with IBS.”

“The role of the enteric flora is evidently an area of great potential in IBS; we are on the threshold of a new era of research and therapy for this common disorder” said Dr. E.M. Quigley of the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre of the National University of Ireland.

Why do probiotics work for IBS?

Probiotics have had more than a century to prove themselves. The concept first emerged in 1907, when Elie Metchnikoff, the Nobel Prize winning scientist, attributed the longevity of a Bulgarian peasant village to its inhabitants’ consumption of live yogurt. Since then a number of well designed clinical trials have shown beneficial effects of probiotics in the treatment of travelers’ diarrhea, acute diarrhea in children and antibiotic associated diarrhea. Trials also suggest that such bacteria can have a beneficial effect on the immune system, as reported on the helpforibs.com website.

Some researchers theorize that one cause of IBS may have to do with the bacteria, or “flora” balance of the intestinal tract. These scientists think that when “good” and “bad” bacteria get out of balance, the good bacteria can no longer manage the bad bacteria populations. If bad bacteria overwhelm good, this may cause inflammation, diarrhea, and other symptoms of IBS. This condition is called “SIBO,” or “Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth.” Regular doses of “good bacteria,” or probiotics, may help to regulate, balance and control overgrowth of “bad bacteria.”

Many of our customers have contacted us for more information on Delpro™, our live probiotic product. Question topics include whether Delpro should be refrigerated, and whether traveling through the mail system damages the product. Probiotics are living organisms and should be refrigerated when stored, but Delpro is manufactured in such a way that an excess of live CFU’s, or “colony-forming units” are built into each dose. This means that even if some of the CFUs are lost during transit, Delpro still delivers 10 billion CFU’s per dose by the time it reaches customers. We know that Delpro can remain unrefrigerated for up to 30 days, so travelers may carry Delpro when refrigeration is not available.

To learn more about how Delpro capsules work, click here.

Here is our official position at the moment: Del-Immune V® provides immediate immune system support. The activity is non-specific, which means the support covers a broad range of immune responses. This has been evidenced by the results reported from our users. The immune help from Del-Immune V® ranges from seasonal bugs and sinus problems to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. So we anticipate this product will be beneficial for immune system support even with various Flu strains, but again, we do not have the documentation yet!

To learn more about how Del-Immune V® provides immediate immune system support, click here.

Aging and alterations in the intestine’s environment caused by antibiotic use disrupt the digestive system’s balance. In the case of antibiotics, the medicine kills everything living in the gut, including harmful bacteria as well as healthy intestinal flora. Killing off healthy flora allows harmful intestinal bacteria to gain proportional dominance. This relative imbalance of microbes in the gut sets the stage for a wide range of unhealthy conditions.

A 2003 study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University looked at the connection between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and intestinal bacteria over-growth. Researchers concluded that intestinal bacteria play a significant role in hepatic insulin resistance and NAFLD.

Researchers at the Imperial College of London recently surmised that altering the intestine’s microbial environment could be effective in addressing insulin resistance.  Researchers found that genetics is responsible for the presence of a specific type of microbe in mice intestines. This microbial excess predisposed mice to insulin resistance and NAFLD.

Researchers are hopeful that their observations of a mouse’s intestinal environment will translate into improving human health. When the mice in this study were fed a high fat diet, the microbes transformed choline, the nutrient essential for metabolizing fat, into methylamines. Scientists believe methylamines, which can only be produced by the microbes in the intestines, lead to insulin resistance. In addition, because choline is needed to transport fat out of the liver, altering choline metabolism leads to fat accumulation, and in turn, NAFLD. By changing the balance of intestinal microbes, it will be possible to reduce someone’s chances of becoming insulin resistant, developing NAFLD or suffering from associated problems.

Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas in response to elevated blood sugar levels. By pushing glucose out of the bloodstream and into the body’s cells where it is converted into energy, insulin keeps blood glucose levels in check. Cells that are insulin resistant lead to decreased energy production, resulting in fatigue. High amounts of insulin in the blood increase triglycerides, which deposit fatty acids in the liver. In prolonged cases of insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus develops. Being overweight, leading a sedentary lifestyle, eating a diet rich in sugar and fat and a preponderance of intestinal microbes all promote insulin resistance.

Probiotics utilize beneficial bacteria to support the health of the gastrointestinal system by suppressing the growth of, or destroying undesirable bacteria. The regular use of probiotics can re-colonize the gastrointestinal tract with enough normal flora to prevent potentially damaging microbes from gaining dominance. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins 2003 study evaluating probiotic use to improve NAFLD suggested the inclusion of probiotics in a plan to prevent additional accumulation of fat in the liver.

Living with microbes in the gut is a normal occurrence in the human gastrointestinal system. However, the recent determination that an intestinal microbial imbalance encourages insulin resistance and NAFLD demonstrates that people concerned with these conditions should aim to preserve or build up healthy intestinal flora. Used around the world for gastrointestinal health, the regular use of probiotics is the most acknowledged way to support a favorable balance of intestinal microbes.

A 2006 study at Children’s Hospital in Boston, Mass. confirmed that, like us, a microbe’s favored mode of travel is airplanes. Likewise, trains, buses, taxis and rental cars can be breeding grounds for traveling germs—not to mention airport terminals, restaurants and public restrooms.

Many are making their summer travel plans, but that doesn’t mean the immune system can go on vacation, too. Independent Traveler magazine says travelers “may be more than 100 times as likely to catch a cold on a plane as in your normal daily rounds.”

Travel often means additional stress as well. We put ourselves under pressure by getting ready to go, preparing our homes, businesses and pets to be cared for in our absence, and making it to our gate, connection, etc. on time.

According to the Center for Disease Control, three glands “go into gear” and work together to help you cope with a stressful situation. Two are in your brain: the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The third, the adrenal glands, are on top of your kidneys. The hypothalamus signals your pituitary gland that it’s time to tell your adrenal glands to release the stress hormones called epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol. These chemicals increase your heart rate and breathing and provide a burst of energy, but prolonged stimulation wears on the immune system, making us more vulnerable to environmental pathogens.

In addition to frequent hand-washing and ample hydration, taking Del-Immune V® prior to, during and after travel can help your body adjust to the sudden fluctuation in stress levels. Several customers have written to us about their experience traveling with Del-Immune V®:

“My husband travels almost every week and his trips are always overseas lasting four to five days at a time,” wrote Jan W. of Boulder, Colo. “In the past, the weekends have been a time for him to recover from travel and jet lag. Since taking Del-Immune V® on a daily basis, I have noticed my husband has not had any infections caused by air travel. I believe his jet lag has diminished and I know for a fact that he has more energy on the weekends.”

Another Boulder customer , Mark S. wrote, “I recently attended an international conference in Mexico. During the course of the week, most of the Americans became sick, but I was taking Del-Immune V® and never missed a beat. Even though I ate in local restaurants, worked late and got up early, I felt great throughout the conference and even after I returned.”

To learn more about how Del-Immune V® can supplement your immune health during travel, click here.

I will never forget the day my baby woke up with a terrible rash. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a medical doctor or a fisherman’s wife, having a sick baby is very scary. My six-week-old baby was covered in red welts. Though she seemed happy in every other way, something was obviously wrong. Since I’m a medical doctor and a mother, I was able to examine her. I noticed she appeared to have the rash of chicken pox. This was a real surprise, since chicken pox normally affects children older than she was.

I had been introduced to Del-Immune V® by a friend and colleague; and I had the impression that it was a very safe and effective natural supplement. I decided to go ahead and start her on Del-Immune V®. I mixed one capsule three times a day in a bottle of milk. By the following morning her rash had completely disappeared! I continued to give her Del-Immune V® using one capsule a day for the next week. I discontinued the treatment once there was no further evidence of the illness. I was satisfied that not only was she completely better from the original infection—which normally would have taken two weeks to get over—but also that she was unaffected by the supplement in any other way. She did not display any side effects whatsoever.

Since my first experience with Del-Immune V®, I have used it to treat many medical conditions and found it to be helpful. Not everyone who takes Del-Immune V® has dramatic results, but I have not had anybody experience any side effects, either. I recommend it to patients with any autoimmune condition, including rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

To learn more about the many different indications for Del-Immune V®, click here.

C. dif is a bacteria in your intestines. The body has lots of “good” and necessary bacteria, but lots of “bad” or dangerous bacteria lurk there, too. C. dif is a “bad” bacteria. When you are healthy, the millions of good bacteria keep C. dif under control and in smaller numbers. However, when you take an antibiotic, the levels of good bacteria are reduced down to a smaller number. If C. dif doesn’t get killed by the antibiotics, it’s possible that it will overpopulate in the intestine or colon and cause an illness called Clostridium difficile colitis.

C. dif is resistant to most antibiotics and can live on almost any surface in a hospital or nursing home for long periods of time. C. dif infections can range in severity from asymptomatic to severe and life-threatening. People are most often infected in hospitals, nursing homes or institutions. The rate of C. dif infections is estimated to be 13 percent in patients during hospital stays of up to two weeks and 50 percent in those with hospital stays longer than four weeks.

Metronidazole is the drug of choice when treating C. dif, but treatment with probiotics like Del-Immune V® has also shown to be effective. Dr. Roger Mazlen, M.D. says, “Because of the potentially life-threatening nature of Clostridium difficile, it’s very important to support the immune system before the infection gets too advanced. Del-Immune V® will support and assist any treatment and help with an easy recovery.”

To find out more about how Del-Immune V® works, click here.

l. rhamnosus (DV strain) undergoing lysing

The intestine is home to a list of good bacteria (over 1,000 species) each with specific functions that contribute to maintaining health. Some GI bacteria make vitamin B-1; others help make enzymes needed for digestion. These are known as friendly bacteria, or probiotics. Ongoing research of priobiotics’ role in immune function began in about 1960.

Priobiotic cells are like tiny factories. Within and surrounding each of the cells and their walls are microscopic biological substances.

Del-Immune V (DV strain)

Many of these biological functions are not available for use until the cell is broken and its contents are exposed to the intestine.

This breaking apart of cells is called “lysing,” and the resulting products are called “lysates.” This process occurs naturally in the lower end of our small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine. Biochemical substances called muramyl peptides then become available to initiate an immune response. Extensive research has demonstrated that muramyl peptides — perform the following important tasks:

• Stimulation of non-specific resistance to bacterial, viral and parasitic infections
• Stimulation of antibodies when used with an antigen, like a vaccine
• Enhancement of natural killer cell activity in viral infections
• Believed to increase resistance of respiratory tract mucosa to bacterial and viral infections
• Modulate the immune response, which means stimulating activity when needed and becoming inactive when not needed

When consumed, the Del-Immune V® capsules deliver the active substances directly to the stomach and the immune response is quickly launched, triggered by muramyl peptides. To find out more about how Del-Immune V® works, click here.

My research into Lyme began soon after I was diagnosed in July 2005. Initially, I had received an incorrect diagnosis and was given cortosteroids, which instantly replicated the Lyme bacteria. At that time, a large percentage of the skin on my legs, back and arms became involved, resulting in extremely painful rashes. I suffered with crippling fatigue and neurological disorganization, including brain fog and severe stammering.

My doctor had prescribed antibiotics, along with a host of nutritional supplements in an effort to protect and boost my immune system, including potent probiotics. Six months into my treatment, I learned about Del-Immune V® and added it to my healing arsenal. Two weeks later, I noticed the terrible rashes on my shins were beginning to heal. The skin had been almost entirely raw, and I never thought it would recover. After taking Del-Immune V®, my skin finally began to heal, so much so that the skin on my legs even took on a healthy sheen. The discoloration, which I thought I would have to live with, has completely faded.

I chose to discontinue antibiotic treatment after six months and began an herbal protocol that kills the Borreliosis bacteria but not the friendly intestinal flora. In addition, I take Del-Immune V® every day. Whenever my skin threatens to break out, I increase my dosage and always notice a positive difference.

Although for healing Lyme, antibiotics seem to work on a limited basis, I chose to discontinue my use of antibiotics and employ the herbal protocol instead. An increase of fungal bacteria in the intestines can cause as much grief to a compromised immune system as the infection itself. With Del-Immune V®, I feel confident that my immune system is getting the boost it needs as I continue to fight this tenacious bacteria.

To find out how Del-Immune V® works to give the immune system immediate support, click here.

Suzanne Arthur writes about health for the Lyme Disease Research Database at www.lyme-disease-research-database.com. She is also a professional astrologer and columnist for LifetimeTV.com.