Page 15 - Spring2009

Letters

causing less chance of allergic reac- there are concerns about the number only offer the following general advice:
tion and significantly lower toxicity to of organisms in modern products, the use only those products from companies
normal gut flora. purity of the product and the health that can confirm that they contain the
B. subtilis has GRAS (Generally status and diet of the consumer. There correct organisms, are safe, contain
Recognized as Safe) status granted by are a huge number of such products the correct concentration and are
the FDA. The organism is ubiquitous, available, some of which do not meet manufactured to the highest standards;
found in soil and on many of the raw label claims and contain the wrong or- such products should only be taken as
vegetables that we eat. The organisms ganisms, leading to problems that have directed on the label; avoid using the
are also approved, after detailed safety tainted the whole industry. The situation products with conventional antibiotics;
studies, for use in Europe to be fed to is further complicated by claims and if you intend to use the products to ad-
farm animals following the ban on the counter claims on the part of various dress health problems, take only under
use of antibiotics in feed. There are no companies that manufacture probiotics. the supervision of a qualified health
published reports showing any negative And we cannot exclude the possibility practitioner who has experience in us-
results in the animals. of slanderous rumors spread by the ing them; be alert to any detoxification
It is worth noting a study which dis- pharmaceutical industry, unwilling to or die-off reactions and consult your
pels an often held belief that B. subtilis give up market share to unpatentable health practitioner if adverse reactions
are not resident in the gut of healthy natural medicines. occur; and as with all products that pro-
individuals. Although the organism Probiotic products—both those that duce a detoxification or die-off reaction,
originates from soil, a study by Tam and contain soil-based organisms such as they should never be used by pregnant
others (2006) proved the existence of B. B. subtilis and those that don’t—have or nursing women. If you are taking a
subtilis in a normal healthy microflora helped many individuals seeking to probiotic product (with or without B.
by examining human stools from thirty improve their health. But as with any subtilis) and become pregnant, discon-
healthy volunteers. All of the volunteers product, or indeed with any food, they tinue use immediately.
were found to be carrying bacillus should always be consumed with an For most people, the best way to
spores, at an average concentration of attitude that is alert to adverse effects. obtain beneficial bacteria is the way
about 10,000 per gram of stool. This Such products should only be taken our ancestors did, through contact with
suggests that spores of bacilli are a nor- in the context of a diet that eliminates dust, dirt and animals in an outdoor
mal part of the human intestinal tract. If processed food. We hear of individuals environment, and by consuming lacto-
so, it would be difficult to substantiate a who are taking these products because fermented foods such as sauerkraut,
cause-and-effect relationship between “they don’t want to change their diet,” naturally made pickles or beet kvass
products containing soil-based organ- and then make the mistake of increas- and other lacto-fermented beverages.
isms and adverse side effects, especially ing rather than diminishing the dosage In situations of illness, since most of
as many of the people taking them al- when they have adverse reactions. If the us would prefer not to consume warm
ready have serious health problems. product provokes a rapid detoxification camel dung, probiotic products have a
Thus, in principle, the use of prod- effect in an individual with overload place in a healing regimen, especially
ucts containing B. subtilis is supported of mercury or other toxic metals, the one that is carried out with the super-
by both tradition and science. Never- consequences could indeed by severe. vision of a qualified holistic practitio-
theless, taking probiotic pills today, In such cases, you should seek profes- ner.
especially for long periods of time, is sional medical advice . Gifts and bequests to the
not the same as eating a single dose of Given all this information about Weston A. Price Foundation
warm cow dung to treat dysentery. As a probiotics in general, and about soil- will help ensure the gift of good health
quick perusal of the Internet will show, based organisms in particular, we can to future generations.

SPRING 2009 Wise Traditions 13