Ingredient research provides relief for digestive health problems

Digestive health is a tricky health concern to wrap your arms around. On the one hand, about 70 percent of the cells necessary for the immune system to function effectively are connected to the gastrointestinal tract. Accordingly, probiotics are looked at for their general health-promoting properties.

But digestive health is more than immunity. It includes a range of concerns from diarrhea to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to lactose intolerance. Intestinal bacteria serve an important role by inhibiting pathogen growth through production of antimicrobials, enhancing tight cellular junction and intestinal wall barrier function, priming dendritic cells and the immune system, assisting in digestion and breakdown of micro-nutrients from otherwise undigestible material and synthesis of short-chain fatty acids; synthesizing key vitamins such as vitamins K and B, and exerting anti-inflammatory effects.^1,2

(For the record, probiotics as well as prebiotics have been found to have systemic effects such as reduced severity of colds or other respiratory conditions, allergy incidence and symptoms, as well as effects on the oral cavity and vaginal tract.³)

Trouble is, U.S. food law did not anticipate the emerging research showing that foods and supplement-style ingredients (read: probiotic bacteria) can play a role in reducing the risk of acute conditions. Just ask Nestlé; it was sanctioned for its BOOST Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink, which contained probiotics and enjoyed a study showing reduced incidence and duration of colds and flu among children who consumed its product. Nestlé simply promoted the study results on its Web site – and FDA said it's an unapproved drug claim and had the company remove that language from its marketing.