LGG – A Multitasking Probiotic
Probiotics are known to improve our gut health by bringing good bacteria to the clan. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a friendly bacterium originally isolated from a healthy human belonging to the Lactobacillus family and naturally found inside your gut.
When you keep consuming unhealthy foods, feeling stressed, and popping antibiotics it can lead to an imbalance of the gut microbiota composition causing gas, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, and hampering of the gut lining. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is one of the most widely used probiotic strains as it can treat issues related to the digestive and immune systems. LGG is also known to protect the oral epithelium cells against Candida albicans infection by indirectly preventing fungal adhesion, invasion, and damage by metabolic reprogramming.
It is effective in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a disease associated with depression and anxiety. In children, it relieves IBS symptoms and helps reduce the occurrence of mild upper respiratory tract infections, like the common cold. The LGG is one of the best strains as it is resistant to bile and acids so it is not easily destroyed. It can outgrow a healthy population in your gut and also can stick to your gut lining.
Research showed that LGG colonizes the newborn gut significantly better than in adults. Postnatal supplementation of LGG with breast milk showed higher diversity compared to placebo. It also reduces the risk of acquiring nosocomial gastrointestinal infections when administered daily in hospitalized children.
The functions of LGG:
- Improves your gut epithelial barrier by excellent adhering capacity because of the pili stimulating different reactions inside the gut and repairing the gut lining increases tight junction functioning.
- Regulates your immune response and inflammation, apoptosis, cell-cell signalling, cell growth and differentiation, cell adhesion, and signalling by influencing the immune cells to activate and release chemicals.
- Helps restore your microbiome balance towards building a healthy microbiome.
Overuse of probiotics can cause stomach discomfort, bloating, gas, and nausea, be vigilant!
Reference
Towards a better understanding of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG - host interactions
Lactobacillus rhamnosus Probiotic Food as a Tool for Empowerment Across the Value Chain in Africa
