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Probiotic-Rich Yogurt Decreases Constipation

In this study, involving 266 women with constipation, eating yogurt containing active Probiotics and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) was found to reduce constipation relative to a milk-based dessert without probiotics. While on the yogurt (Dannon's Activia), people had an average of 6 bowel movements a week vs. 5 a week while on the dessert.

A Consumer Reports test of Activia showed that it has 3 billion Bifidus regularis bacteria per 4-ounce serving. Unfortunately, only 3 million bacteria (1 in a thousand) survived a bath in stomach acid. This is why I recommend using Acidophilus Pearls where over a billion bacteria per pearl survive the stomach acid (i.e., to get the number of healthy bacteria in 1 pearl to your colon, you'd need to eat around 3 gallons of yogurt!).

References

"Effect of the ingestion of a symbiotic yogurt on the bowel habits of women with functional constipation," DePaula JA, Carmuega E, et al, Acta Gastroenterol Latinoam, 2008; 38(1): 16-25.

Consumer Reports article, Dannon Activia has cultures that last.


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Some information on this site is from the book From Fatigued to Fantastic! Third Edition by Jacob Teitelbaum MD, copyright 2007 by Jacob Teitelbaum MD. Used by permission of Avery Publishing, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.