Could Probiotics Be Used To Treat Ulcers

[Maine farmer]

I've read much about the bacterial cause of ulcers and how they prescribe antibiotics to treat ulcers now, but wouldn't the antibiotics kill off the benificial bacteria as well. I wonder if the helibactor bacteria are causing ulcers only because of a lack of competition in the stomach. I have used probiotics in pre-weaned calves to prevent scours for some time with great success and don't use antibiotics, so it seems a similar approach to ulcers in humans should work. Does anyone know if any research has been done on that topic?

[CraigD]

I've read much about the bacterial cause of ulcers and how they prescribe antibiotics to treat ulcers now, but wouldn't the antibiotics kill off the benificial bacteria as well. I wonder if the helibactor bacteria are causing ulcers only because of a lack of competition in the stomach. I have used probiotics in pre-weaned calves to prevent scours for some time with great success and don't use antibiotics, so it seems a similar approach to ulcers in humans should work. Does anyone know if any research has been done on that topic?

Yes, research has been done, leading to the unsurprising (in light of folk wisdom), though as yet not strongly supported, conclusion that a bacteria found in yogurt (Lactobacillus bulgaricus) can reduce the helicobacter pylori known to cause some stomach ulcers.

 

Since yogurt is common, inexpensive, safe, and know by most people to be a good non-prescription ulcer treatment, and the mechanism by which "good bacteria" can out-compete bad to treat diseases like ulcers, I doubt much effort to research the details of treating H.pylori with LAB will be forthcoming.

 

Any competent, ethical clinician would agree that if a patient can relieve a ulcer with a inexpensive, side-affect-free (and tasty, too :)) food stuff, that's preferable to an antibiotic. Only in cases where sensible folk remedies fail would a more risky treatment be considered.

 

It's important, I think, to understand that H.pylori is not one of those GI fauna that is found in small amount in all people - for unclear reasons, about half of all people have effectively none. Of those that do have it, the majority don't have ulcers or other inflammations due to them. A minority of people - but still a large clinical population - have it, and get ulcers and other intestinal problems as a result.

 

Also, it's important to understand that, despite the name suggesting it, a probiotic isn't precisely the opposite of an antibiotic. Antibiotics are usually non-living chemicals that inhibit the growth or kill bacteria. Probiotics usually are bacteria.