Probiotic
Age and disease related changes in intestinal bacterial populations – (01-18-01)
Age and disease related changes in intestinal bacterial populations
This is a wonderful article assessing the changes in normal flora as we age. As we age, we lose levels of the protective bacteria, and the author suggests this may be a factor in the increase in disease rates in later years. I believe a consideration here is that we produce less stomach acid as we age. Stomach acid serves a protective effect, killing off many of the bacteria that we take in orally, but lactobacillis, acidopholis and bifidobacteria are all resistant to stomach acid. So the reduction in stomach acid production may shift from protective to hostile intestinal flora. The best defense here is good offense…make sure probiotics are a consistent factor in your diet.
Gut — Abstracts: Hopkins et al. 48 (2): 198
