Some people do have H. Pylori infections in the stomach. So the
stomach doesn't get all of them all the time in all people. In addition
to acids the (protein?) digesting enzymes must get rid of a lot of the
"pathogens" we ingest. Again, not likely all of them. It does seem to me
from my reading that the bacteria, yeasts, fungi, and viruses we
consider pathogens are a lot tougher than the probiotic spp people take
deliberately, which is why I drink a large glass of CS when it becomes
obvious that I have eaten something that is causing GI distress.
Pathogens are also a normal part of everything, likely a balance as you
say, and only a problem when they get too numerous. Diarrhea is the body
flushing out the "bad" bacteria or whatever, but most of us prefer to
short-circuit that plan and help get rid of the pathogens without
suffering the body's natural means.
Milk left out at room temp will spoil, bacteria we don't want will
quickly multiply and make a mess of the milk, and would probably make
you sick or give you diarrhea if you drank it, once it really got
rotten. But to make yogurt or sour milk that is good to drink requires
careful culturing (usually): the instructions I have call for heating
the milk to kill off the bacteria that make milk spoil, and then
innoculating the milk with L. Acidophilus or other bacterial culture,
then keeping the milk in the ideal temperature range for those
beneficial bacteria to grow. Once the milk is turned into yogurt with a
good population of Acidophilus, it is more resistant to spoiling, but if
left out of refrigeration or even with refrigeration, the spoilage
bacteria and molds will eventually overcome the culture bacteria, and
you will sooner or later get spoiled milk.
Perhaps something analogous takes place in the digestive tract? I
have read a lot of info that purports to give the "why" that probiotics
help, but nothing really convincing to me. I take more seriously the
studies that conclude they don't survive the gut, but do help for
unknown reasons. I have pet rabbits, and though none of the probiotic
bacteria commonly sold for human or animal use is a normal GI tract
inhabitant of a rabbit gut (rabbit digestive bacteria are mostly
Bacteriodes spp), in cases of clostridium overgrowth or other dysbiosis,
probiotics are given as they are believed to help until the rabbit's
normal GI bacteria can re-populate. Most antibiotics given orally to a
rabbit will kill the rabbit, mainly by killing off the rabbit's normal
GI bacteria, while*not* killing clostridium, then the clostridium
multiplies rapidly and kills the bunny. Or the rabbit is fed too many
starches, which cause the clostridia to overgrow, as that species
thrives on starches. (Interestingly I found two articles that state that
actual sugars, as in fruit, do not stimulate clostridial growth as much
as grain starches).
From my "family Medical Guide" "A large part of the feces is composed
of bacteria, along with indegestible material, chiefly cellulose, and
substances eliminated from the blood and shed from the intestinal
walls." Sounds like the beneficial "flora" of the colon amounts to a LOT
of bacteria. FWIW, no one that I know of disputes the demonstrable fact
that the human colon is inhabited by beneficial and pathogenic bacteria,
and that the state one wants to have is plenty of beneficial spp, and
few pathogens. My dispute is only when it is said that beneficial
bacteria in the colon have something to do with digestion, as digestion
does not take place in the colon.
My 25 cents,
sol
Yogiboy wrote:
Can someone please explain to me then, when eating something bad why
doesn't the stomach kill off the bad bacteria if infact no bacteria gets
into the intestines.? I mean, whether stomach flu or food poisoning,
anyone will tell u they make frequent washroom visits..and we all know
its not pleasant. How does this occurance come about? If the stomach
acids are so strong as to neutralize "ANY" bacteria, we wouldn't be
having this problem would we? So bacteria does make it to the lower
digestive organs.
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