In the digestive tract, we distinguish between two types of intestinal bacteria: the harmful, putrefactive bacteria and the health-promoting, friendly bacteria, which are also known as probiotic bacteria.

Good and bad intestinal bacteria

The intestinal flora or microbiome, is home to a large number and variety of different microorganisms. These include bacteria, fungi and viruses. Some bacteria are considered harmful, such as putrefactive bacteria. Others are considered to be useful, such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. The useful bacteria are collectively referred to as probiotic bacteria or probiotics.

Lactobacillus acidophilus also predominates in a healthy vaginal flora and, if present in sufficient quantities, can prevent the growth of fungi and thus prevent vaginal yeast infections.

E. coli bacteria: Bad intestinal bacteria produce toxic substances

Bad intestinal bacteria, such as putrefactive bacteria (E. coli), produce a number of toxic substances when breaking down proteins, including indole and skatole.

These foul-smelling substances give the feces their typical smell, and their derivative indican is found in sweat and urine, which smell hardly any more pleasant. The smells of our excretions alone indicate a possible incorrect colonization of our intestines.

The more odorless our stool, sweat and urine are, the more perfectly our digestion functions, the cleaner our digestive system is and the more harmoniously the microorganisms in our intestines work.

Lactobacilli: Friendly intestinal bacteria maintain balance

The friendly lactobacilli primarily produce lactic acid, but also acetic acid, digestive enzymes, and vitamins. Those that produce lactic acid are known as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. The two best-known and important species are Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus.

Lactobacteria and bifidobacteria are the natural antagonists of coliform bacteria and keep the intestinal environment in balance. An ideal ratio of bacterial strains is when beneficial bacteria predominate in the large intestine by 85 percent.

In such a situation, the presence of 15% putrefactive bacteria is not a big deal because the beneficial bacteria can keep them in check.

Lactobacilli for healthy digestion

The health-promoting intestinal bacteria produce, among other things, digestive enzymes. They therefore help to maintain the body’s healthy digestive functions while at the same time limiting the activity of putrefactive bacteria.

If these bacteria, which are beneficial to us, are missing or only present in insufficient quantities, the food we eat cannot be digested properly.

Incompletely digested food, however, remains “stuck” in the intestines and provides a comfortable home for harmful putrefactive bacteria. They allow the undigested particles to slowly rot.

This creates unpleasant-smelling and sometimes highly toxic gases. But these same gases can cause other symptoms that are rarely associated with an unbalanced intestinal flora or an intestine in need of rehabilitation.

These include, for example, diffuse feelings in the head, tiredness, listlessness, concentration problems, and many more. If flatulence is not remedied, it can lead to what is known as Roemheld syndrome, which manifests itself in heart pain but is actually caused by the intestines.

When is it advisable to build up the intestinal flora?

A balanced intestinal flora in which the ratio between coli bacteria and lactobacilli is correct is therefore extremely desirable for a number of reasons. Unfortunately, the beneficial intestinal bacteria are very sensitive. They are susceptible to a variety of influences and, regrettably, are also susceptible to extinction.

These include over-acidification of the body, the intake of certain medications (e.g. antibiotics ), some vaccinations, excessive psychological and mental stress, alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, etc.

When is it advisable to build up the vaginal flora?

Many women suffer from the constant recurrence of fungal infections in the vagina . The reason is a reduced activity and thus a reduced defense of the vaginal flora . The pH value in the vagina should normally be between 3.8 and 4.4.

Such a low pH value is too acidic even for acid-loving fungi. If the pH value of the vagina increases (to 5 or higher, for example) due to various influences such as poor nutrition, antibiotics, stress, excessive hygiene, etc., the environment becomes uncomfortable for the healthy vaginal flora, but highly attractive for fungi, and so the latter settle there.

A fungal infection is encouraged when the patient consumes large amounts of isolated carbohydrates, such as sugar and white flour products, and at the same time only consumes a small amount of food rich in vital nutrients. Of course, the factors mentioned above (antibiotics, stress, etc. or even cold) can also trigger or encourage an incorrect colonization of the vaginal flora.

In order to keep the vaginal flora acidic, the vagina should be additionally supplied with lactic acid bacteria while taking antibiotics.

The optimal time to start supplying beneficial bacteria (lactobacilli) is in the middle of the antibiotic treatment. However, it should be remembered that the partner must also participate in anti-fungal treatment (sugar-free and alkaline diet , building up the intestinal flora ) in order to achieve long-term success and to prevent constant relapses.

Bifidobacteria: How beneficial intestinal bacteria can help premature babies

As a joint study by the Institute of Human Nutrition and the Ernst-von-Bergmann-Klinikum in Potsdam shows, children born prematurely thrive better if they consume probiotic bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium lactis) in addition to their diet ( 2 ).

Premature babies who had to be treated with antibiotics due to an infection were able to feed naturally earlier with the help of the probiotic intestinal bacteria and gained weight faster than children who did not receive the probiotic.

In addition, the probiotic improved the premature babies’ defenses against infections.