Probiotics a hoax or a bless? 益生菌是祸是福？(4)

Probiotics have to work hand in hand
with fermented foods

Presuming we have gotten the best probiotics in town,
how should we consume them to get the best results?
假设找着了市面上最好的益生菌，
应该如何服用达致最佳效果呢？

Here are some simple pointers:
以下是一些建议：

(1) Probiotics are very afraid of fatty foods
益生菌甚怕油腻食物

-- so it's best to consume them separately from fatty meal/snacks
所以最好跟油腻的餐饮分开服食

(2) Probiotics need to be fed with prebiotics
益生菌须要益生元来生存

-- prebiotics are soluble fibres that probiotics survive on
益生元是水溶性纤维也是益生菌的食物

-- so it's best to consume probiotics along with prebiotics
such as inulin, soft fruits, juices, soluble fibre drinks etc
所以服食益生菌时最好和益生元同时服用。
益生元的例子有菊糖、软水果、果汁、纤维饮等等

-- personally I recommend taking 3-5pm which is a good time for fruit/juice snack
个人建议下午3-5点服用最佳（也是水果、果汁服用最佳时间）

(3) Probiotics do not survive well with junk foods
益生菌不喜欢垃圾食物

-- so in order to promote survival of probiotics,
it's best to stop taking junk foods
(eg. highly processed, refined, adulterated products , alcohol or fast foods)
所以为了提升益生菌的生存几率，一定要戒掉垃圾食物
（例如：高度加工、精炼、人工改造食品、酒精、快餐）

(4) Probiotics need time to establish in the gut
益生菌需要时间在场内奠定基础

-- generally probiotics need about 3-6months
before florishing in the gut to offer benefits
一般上益生菌需要3-6个月来稳定繁衍以让肠道受惠

-- it's advisable to consume probiotics for minimum 3months
on daily basis, to worth the money
建议每天服食益生菌至少三个月以达到预期效果

-- patience needed
需要耐心

(5) Probiotics will be self sustaining after establishing in the gut
益生菌奠定基础后会自然恒续滋长

-- so, there is no need to consume Probiotics daily after 6month
when they have already established well in the gut
所以待6个月奠定基础之后无需每天服食益生菌

-- but Probiotics may be compromised
if we are not careful with our diet (eg occasional junk food);
so it's not a bad idea to have "booster shots",
say consuming Probiotics once a week for long term maintenance
但是，如果我们饮食不当（偶尔吃垃圾食物），
益生菌有可能会被妥协。
那么，间断性服食“加强剂”也未曾不是件好事。
譬如说，长期性地每星期服食一天。

(6) Probiotics can be beneficial eaten either dead and alive
益生菌，活着或死着服用，都有好处

-- in contrary to general belief that
Probiotics has to be alive to offer health benefits,
Probiotics (and friendly bacteria) could be taken when killed and
we could still fetch some benefits from the legacy of the dead bodies
跟一般见解相反，益生菌并不一定要活着才有益处；
益生菌死去后残余的遗体依然可以惠及肠道健康

-- studies shown that lysates of probiotics could feed the gut bacteria
and help good gut bacteria to flourish
研究发现，益生菌的裂解液体可以充作肠菌的食物，
帮助肠道良菌成长

-- while we would not deliberately cook expensive Probiotics to eat,
this information is useful in culinary settings where
some fermented foods have to be served hot.
这并不是说我们应该刻意地把昂贵的益生菌煮死来吃；
只是在烹饪方面，有些发酵食品如果需要加温处理，我们不必去纠结。

(7) Probiotics can be used for quality control purpose in fermentation
益生菌可以作为发酵程序的品质管控

-- fermentation needs skill and experiences
to ensure that good bacteria in fermented foods
surpasses the growth of unwanted/bad bacteria
发酵程序要求相当的技艺和经验，
才能确保发酵食品里的良菌的成长率远超过坏菌

-- a convenient and reliable way is
to use Probiotics as starter for fermented foods,
to give a good head start
有一个便捷可靠的方法:
那就是善巧地运用益生菌来启动发酵程序，
让良菌胜在起跑线。

--this way, good bacteria in home made fermented foods
are always warranted
(try this home made vegan yoghurt recipe
using clinically proven Probiotics as starter)
这样子便能确保家中自制的发酵品是含有良菌的
（试试这个沿用临床验证益生菌所制作的纯素优格食谱 ）

(8) Probiotics need to be accompanied
with friendly bacteria to confer benefits
益生菌需要与友善细菌配伍才能发挥益处

-- despite the paramount role of Probiotics
in steering the gut bacteria in the right direction,
friendly bacteria are also important in maintaining the health of the gut
尽管益生菌在领导肠菌向善发展方面举足轻重，
友善细菌维持肠道健康的角色也不可抹杀

-- it's important to take, on top of Probiotics,
friendly bacteria-rich fermented foods
such as Rejuvelac, Miso, Sauerkraut, Tempeh.
和益生菌同步服食友善细菌丰富的发酵食品
（比如回春水、味噌、德国酸菜、天贝）是非常重要的。

-- both Probiotics (clinically tested) and
friendly bacteria (non-clinically tested, from fermented foods)
are required together for gut health maintenance.
临床验证的益生菌与未经验证的发酵食品中的友善细菌，
必须携手合作才能维系肠道健康。

-- it's futile to take solely Probiotics or solely fermented food,
in the hope of gut health improvement
单靠益生菌或发酵食品其中一方，是不可能提升肠道健康的

-- Probiotics are likened to the supervisors/managers and
fermented foods' friendly bacteria are likened to factory workers.
Both are needed for a productive factory.
益生菌犹如监工/经理，
发酵食品的友善细菌可比作工厂员工。
两者缺一不可，工厂才能从事生产。


In summary, in personal opinion,
Take Probiotics 3-5pm daily for the first 3-6 months,
along with prebiotics and fermented foods (friendly bacteria),
avoiding junk food.
After that, take Probiotics once a week.
综上所述，依个人浅见，
每天下午3-5点服食益生菌，维持3-6个月，
与益生元和发酵食品（友善细菌）同步，
并戒掉垃圾食品。
往后，每周服食益生菌一次。


This series of blog posts on Probiotics has come to the end.
Hope readers have enjoyed it all along
and reaped some benefits from the reading :)
益生菌系列的分享到此为止。
希望读者喜欢，并从中受益 :)


Toast to good gut health!
健康万岁！
Kee Yew 其銚

**click here for Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 按这里**

。

{Learning Holistic Wellness for Wisdom and Compassion}

Probiotics a hoax or a bless? 益生菌是祸是福？(3)

Probiotics have to be tested rigorously

How do clinical proven Probiotics look like
when we shop in a health store?
益生菌到底长成什么样子？
在保健商店如何识别？

We have to do some referencing.
那么我们就需要作一些资料参考了。

(A)
Discriminating D,L-lactic acid capable bacteria
识别D-与L- 乳酸菌

- A good leader bacteria (Probiotics) ideally
should not produce D-lactic acid.
好领导细菌（益生菌）最好不生成任何D-乳酸。

- Actually, D-lactic acid is not detrimental
when administered moderately on a normal individual;
and many friendly bacteria do produce D-lactic acids.
But, because Probiotics are often administered in large amount
for substantial length of period,
D-lactic acid will easily accumulate and
subsequently cause adverse effect to the body；
hence it's best Probiotics do not produce D-lactic acid.
其实，如果中庸地应用在健康人士，
D-乳酸对人体的妨碍不大的。
而且大部份的友善细菌也都生成D-乳酸。
但是由于益生菌往往会被大剂量、长时间应用，
这样D-乳酸会容易累积，进而造成副作用，
所以最好不生成任何D-乳酸。

Refer to this tabulation here to avoid bacteria which are D-lactic acid capable
if it were to be administered in large dosage, long term.
如果明确疗程需要大剂量长时间服用，我们可以参考这个列表来筛掉D-乳酸细菌。


(B) Prefer Probiotics which were thoroughly studied clinically
首选经广泛临床测验的益生菌

- Every now and then, new friendly bacteria are discovered.
Some were discovered in commercial labs with minimal studies done,
just to hastily push them out in the market.
新品种友善细菌层出不穷。
有些友善细菌更是在商业性实验室里诞生，
仓促地经过极少的实验后被推出市场。

- It's important that we prefer Probiotics
which have been studied by multiple labs/research groups
to fetch a balanced view and comprehensive understanding of the bacteria.
为了全面平衡地审核和认识新品种细菌，
益生菌最好是在不同的研究所经过多番验证。

- This is to minimise unexpected side-effects
if the probiotics are to be administered in large quantity and
for lengthy period (medicinal/healing purpose)
这样能减少难预料的副作用，
尤其是可能会大量长期服用（疗愈所需）

Refer to this tabulation for a list of specific strain of Probiotics tested to be effective for different ailments.
按病情所需，参考此列表来筛选临床证明有效的益生菌。


Caution 提点:
When purchasing Probiotics,
make sure the strain code (e.g. Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG) is matched on the commercial product label.
购买益生菌时，
确保商品标签上的细菌品种编号（例如：Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG）是跟列表吻合的

This is because,
Probiotics strains are very specific in their functions.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG
is very different from Lactobacillus rhamnosus XYZ
这是因为
各个益生菌品种的功能是非常独特的。
Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG
跟Lactobacillus rhamnosus XYZ 是千差万别的。

(like how “Simpson, Bart” and "Simpson, Lisa" are starkly different
despite that they are brother and sister of the same family.
Don't presume "Simpson, Bart" play saxophone well
even though "Simpson, Lisa" won a saxophone contest)
（就譬如，尽管 “Simpson, Bart” 和"Simpson, Lisa"  都是兄妹，
我们不能基于"Simpson, Lisa" 曾在萨克管演奏比赛胜出，
而揣测“Simpson, Bart” 也能优秀地操萨克管）

Extra caution额外提点:
When a product label does not specify the strain code, e.g.
"Lactobacillus rhamnosus"
Do not presume it is the clinically trialed strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG.
There is no need to consider this product at all,
because likely the strain in the product is not clinically tested.
当产品标签没注明品种编号，比如只标："Lactobacillus rhamnosus"

千万别以为那可能是经临床验证的Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG。

此产品基本上无需考虑，

因为此产品的菌种很可能不会是经过临床实验的。  

Clinically tested strains are usually patented or "copyrighted".
That means the production cost is much higher, after paying the royalty fees.
It's unlikely for manufacturer to miss out the strain code on the product label
if so much cost has been involved.
经临床验证的菌种一般上都有专利和“版权”庇护。
生产成本会因版权费而提高。
生产商付了大笔数目，不可能不标明菌种编号。

Extra extra caution额外额外提点:
Probiotics do not usually give immediate effect or gratification.
Probiotics ingested takes at least a few months
to establish and flourish in the gut, before offering real benefits.
益生菌一般不能马上发挥作用，给予病人直接的满足感。
益生菌往往需要至少数月才能有效地置入肠道，提供病人真正的利益。

In order to make consumer feel good immediately
after taking a "friendly bacteria" product,
often manufacturers will add in
digestive enzymes and other laxative ingredients like lactose
to illusify the efficacy of the product.
This may be a signal the product itself
may not contain clinically proven Probiotics.
为了让消费者服用“友善细菌”产品后，马上感觉良好，
生产商不惜加入消化酶和一些缓泻剂（例如：乳糖）
来掩饰产品的有效性。
这有可能表示产品本身不含临床验证的益生菌。


In the next post,
we will discuss how Probiotics is administered/consumed. Tune in! :)
下一贴，
我们来探讨如何服用/运用益生菌。请继续关注！ :)

Well wishes,
诚心祝福！
Kee Yew 其銚

**click here for Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 按这里**

。


{Learning Holistic Wellness for Wisdom and Compassion}

Probiotics a hoax or a bless? 益生菌是祸是福？(2)

Gut bacteria
is dynamic and unique

To identify true Probiotics,
we have to understand these background information
of our gut system:
怎么把真正的益生菌辨别出来，
我们得先了解以下肠道系统的背景资讯：
.(
(A)
Human beings rely on gut bacteria to survive
人类必须依肠道细菌而活:

- It is natural to have bacteria living in our gut,
as they play a symbiotic role, providing nutrients
such as: short chain saturated fatty acids
that we cannot synthesize on our own or we cannot acquire from foods.
-我们的肠道住着细菌是自然的事，
因为肠道细菌扮演着共生的角色，
提供我们人体不能自行制造或者不能从食物中摄取的营养，
譬如：短链饱和脂肪酸。

(B)
The spectrum/landscape (profile) of gut bacteria is dynamic and unique
 肠道细菌的光谱/格局（档案）是善变、独特的:

- Our gut houses many types/strains of bacteria (ie wide spectrum) and
types/strains/numbers are unique among individuals
我们的肠道住着许多种类的细菌（即光谱宽广），
而每个人所具有肠道菌种和数量都不一样的。

- The ratios between different strains/types of bacteria (ie landscape)
are also different between different people
菌种之间的比例（即格局），也因人而异。

- The profile of gut bacteria in our gut changes very frequently,
depending on our food intake, climate and environment etc
我们的肠道细菌档案变化很快，
多般依我们的饮食习惯、气候、环境而改变。

(C)
Most gut bacteria are easily influenced
绝大部份的肠道细菌都容易被影响:

- Very few realized that bulk of our gut bacteria
are easily swayed/influenced by small populations of
good leader and bad leader bacteria.
鲜少人知道，
肠道细菌可以因一小撮的好领导和坏领导肠菌，而被“疏摆”/影响。

- Good leader bacteria are small portion of the gut bacteria
that are domineering enough to influence bulk of the gut bacteria
to behave beneficially to the gut.
好领导肠菌是肠道内一小群肠菌，
据有足够强悍特质去影响其他大多数肠道细菌，去让肠道受惠。

- Bad leader bacteria are small portion of the gut bacteria
that are domineering enough to influence bulk of the gut bacteria
to misbehave, doing harm to the gut.
坏领导肠菌是肠道内一小群肠菌，
据有足够强悍特质去影响其他大多数肠道细菌，去伤害肠道。


Up till this point, readers may start to ponder...
说到这里，读者们可能会想。。。

Yes, bulk of the bacteria in our gut are just lemmings!
They are neither beneficial nor harmful.
But their traits change according to whoever speak louder
between good leader bacteria and bad leader.
是的！绝大部份的肠道细菌都是跟随者。
他们其实不分好坏。
但是他们的特质会随着较强势的好/坏领导而变好/坏。

If we eat too much junk foods nourishing the bad leader bacteria,
then bulk of the gut bacteria will misbehave under the influence of
the more domineering bad leaders.
So it doesn't matter how much friendly bacteria we consume.
As long as bad leaders speak louder, all these friendly bacteria will become bad.
如果我们吃太多垃圾食物来滋养坏领导肠菌，
那么大部份的肠菌便在坏领导的影响下会变坏。
所以，不管我们吃多少友善细菌；
只要坏领导在肠道内做主导，那么吃进去的友善细菌都会变坏。

If we consume clinically proven probiotics (ie the good leaders),
when they flourish in the gut and speak louder than bad leader bacteria,
bulk of the gut bacteria will become beneficial.
This is why for therapeutic use,
Probiotics has to be clinically proven to be influential enough to confer benefits.
如果我们服用经临床验证的益生菌（即是好领导），
当它们在肠道内繁衍，比坏领导强势时，
那么大部份的肠菌便会给肠道带来益处。
这正是为什么，从医疗角度来看，
益生菌必定要经过临床证明有足够影响力来供给肠道益处。


Now, we know Probiotics is not just any common friendly bacteria
reported to have lived in human gut.
Probiotics also have to be strong, domineering and
influential in favour human gut's health.
至此，我们理解益生菌不是随便任何能住在肠道里的友善细菌而已。
益生菌必须是健壮、强势还有影响力
给肠道带来健康。

This in turn implies that,
conventionally mis-interpreted "Probiotics" namely
由此我们可以推断，
普遍被误会成“益生菌”的
. Yoghurt 优葛
. Kefir 科菲尔
. Kombucha 康布茶
. Rejuvelac 回春水
. Miso 味噌
. Sauerkraut 德国酸菜
. Kimchi 韩国泡菜
and many other fermented foods 等等发酵食品
can only serve as friendly bacteria supplementation,
and do not warrant beneficial consequences after consumption,
pending the prior existence of good leaders in the gut.
They definitely cannot be termed 'Probiotics' (until clinically trialed, batch by batch).
只能作为友善细菌的补充剂，
服用后，按肠道是否有好领导，才能确保有健康效益。
它们绝对不能命名为益生菌（直至经过临床验证，而且是每一批都得审核）。

It is hence advised to consumed fermented foods
along with clinically proven probiotics
to avoid these friendly bacteria being swayed towards the harmful direction,
in case there are already too much bad leader bacteria in the gut
or even in the fermented foods (if not cultured professionally).
因此建议进食发酵品时，
同时服用临床证实的益生菌，
避免发酵食品的友善细菌被疏摆去伤害肠道。
因为肠道里或发酵食品里，
可能已经有许多坏领导
（尤其发酵时，没有专业管控）。

Next, we will find out exactly which bacteria strains are clinically proven good leaders
and how to avoid buying the wrong "probiotics".
接下来，我们会指出哪几种菌种是临床证实好领导，
然后怎样避免买到错误的“益生菌”。


Many blessings!
祝福大家
Kee Yew 其銚

**click here for Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4 按这里**
.



{Learning Holistic Wellness for Wisdom and Compassion}

Probiotics a hoax or a bless? 益生菌是祸是福？(1)

Not all bacteria are the same

Recently there has been a study claiming that probiotics cause brain fog.
近来，有科学研究把益生菌和脑雾挂钩。 

(https://www.nature.com/articles/s41424-018-0030-7)

This study is a not very credible, as they didn't give Probiotics a proper definition.
这项研究的可靠性有值得怀疑之处。
研究项目没有把益生菌的定义锁定之故。

The experimental design wasn't properly done too.
In the study, the test subjects were allowed to
anyhow take any brand and any type of "probiotics",
including commercial and home made yoghurt.
There was absolutely no quality control in
what was administered to the subjects.
研究的设计也没有计划好。
研究对象可以任意使用任何牌子和种类的“益生菌”，
甚至包括市场和自制的优葛/酸奶。
研究对象食用的一切都没有任何的品质管控。

To clarify the confusion caused by the study,
为了理清此研究带来的误会，

first, we have to understand a few points here:
首先，我们先了解几个重点：

1. Probiotics are often confused with
Friendly bacteria and Yoghurt-making bacteria.
益生菌、友善细菌（良菌）和优葛菌，
三者时常被混淆。

*Probiotics are elite friendly bacteria which are
clinically proven to offer medicinal benefits.
But this term has been abused by commercials which
sell only friendly bacteria that are
not clinically proven for medicinal benefits in the health supplement market.
益生菌是一群优质友善细菌，经科学临床实验，证实能达至医疗效果。
但是，这个名词已经惯性被保健业的商家滥用，
混淆于没有临床证明的非医疗性的友善细菌。

*Friendly bacteria are not necessarily clinically proven.
They are found to be able to live in human gut
offering some health benefits (given proper influence from Probiotics).
友善细菌不一定经过临床证实。
它们能在人体肠道内滋生，协助维护肠道健康
（益生菌影响的前提下而言）。

*Yoghurt bacteria are not necessarily friendly bacteria.
They are bacteria that may produce lactic acid (both D- and L- form)
inducing the transformation of liquid milk to semi solid yoghurt.
Incidentally, Yoghurt can contain dangerous and bad bacteria,
especially when made unprofessionally at home.
优葛菌不一定是友善细菌。
它们只是基本上能生成乳酸（D-和L-状）
使至液态乳转凝固成半固态。
再说，优葛里蕴藏的有可能是有危害的坏菌，
尤其是家中没用专业手法制作的优葛。

2. Brain fog is not caused by probiotics.
It is caused by accumulation of too much D-lactic acid
that is often produced by non-clinically proven friendly bacteria.
D-lactic acid is a form of lactic acid indigestible by human metabolism.
It is seen as toxic burden to gut/liver/brain when accumulated too much.
脑雾不是益生菌所造成的。
脑雾的现象是过多的D-状乳酸累积过多在体内才造成的。
D乳酸往往是没经临床试验证的友善菌所生成的。
D乳酸是一种人体未能代谢的乳酸。
过多时，会造成肠道、肝脏、脑袋的荼毒与负担。

3. It's the L-lactic acid that we human body needs.
But friendly bacteria often do not always produce L-form only,
but also produce D-form lactic acid.
Our body can withstand small amount of D-lactic acid,
but if we take too much of clinically *unproven* probiotics (ie fake probiotics),
the population spectrum/landscape of bacteria in our gut
will be seriously skewed, causing too much D-lactic acid production.
我们人体需要的是L-乳酸。
可是友善细菌一般都会生成D、L两种乳酸。
我们身体能承受少量D-乳酸，
但是，当我们服用大量未经临床验证的友善细菌（假成益生菌），
那么我们的肠道里的细菌光谱和格局就会严重扭曲，生成过量的D-乳酸。

Till this point,
we have clarified that probiotics is not actually the culprit of brain fog.
至此，我们已经理清益生菌不是脑雾的祸首。

It is the mis-administration of too much friendly bacteria
which are capable of producing D-lactic acid.
祸患来自错误的服用大量的D-乳酸友善细菌。

How do we know which is true probiotics?
We shall discuss about the underlying principles, in the next post.
那么我们怎知那些是真正的益生菌呢？
下一贴，我们将会探讨各中原理。

Well regards,
祝福大家
Kee Yew 其铫

**click here for Part 2| Part 3| Part 4 按这里**

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{Learning Holistic Wellness for Wisdom and Compassion}