Re:Was: The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Good Guy, Now- Kefir.

[Guest guest]

, inghamseeker@j...

wrote:

>

> Frank - If you are dealing with Candida and IBS, would the yeast in

Kefir promote the candida, or would it replace the bad yeast with

beneficial yeast? I'm confused. Thanks, Kathy

>

 

Hi Kathy,

 

The bacteria and yeasts in Kefir are supposedly good for us and will

hold in check the bad according to most people who are knowledgable

about kefir.

 

It is assumed that over time it changes the mix in our intestines to

a more beneficial mix of both the bacteria and yeast.

 

This is a generalization as everyone has their own unique mix already

and to add/change it, it will still be unique to you. So, no

standardized result can be ever attained.

 

Kefir is the only probiotic that I have found that has such a large

amount of probiotics as well as such a wide selection of organisms.

 

Remember that the average person has pounds of organisms in his

intestinal tract which is made up of hundreds of different ones. When

most of the good ones are killed off for whatever reason the

imbalance occurs and it is very hard to try and rebalance and

reestablish a healthy mix when most probiotics have a small amount of

actual organisms as they are limited by the size of the pill and all

it's other ingredients needed to make it. It usually contains only

from one to four organisms, when we need to try and replace hundreds

of different ones that were wiped out.

 

Kefir fills the bill on both counts. It gives many different

organisms in each drink (possibly a hundred) and it gives them in

huge quantities compared to most commercial probiotics on the market.

 

Here is some information that is on Dom " s Kefir site.

 

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http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

 

In the commercial dairy and food industry, coliform counts are used

to determine possible contamination; due to faecal matter and or

improper handling, processing and storage of food or milk and

equipment etc. These microbes are also part of a healthy intestinal

microflora, including other organs, similar to Candida albicans. As

is the case regarding counts of C. albicans kept in check in a

healthy host, coliform counts seem to be kept in check when found in

certain batches of kefir grains. These microbes and yeasts are and

always will be part of our environment, both externally and or

internally. The secret to a healthy balance lies in keeping these

microbes and yeasts in check, either by the auto-immune system or

other bio-control-systems. This includes friendly microbes and yeasts

which are endorsed with certain protective properties. When consuming

traditional kefir, the protective properties may be propagated in the

gastrointestinal tract, to become part of, or enhance the present

microflora therein. In turn, maintaining a healthy balance in that

specific bio-system [or for the host if you wish]. Ingesting kefir

grains on a regular basis may also induce a beneficial auto-immune

response, which may help to keep certain pathogens under control

[16,17].

 

THE MICROFLORA OF KEFIR GRAINS

 

A vast variety of different species of microbes have been isolated

and identified in kefir grains. Such species are among four genus

groups; Lactobacilli, Streptococci - Lactococci, Acetobacter and

Yeasts. The microorganisms and yeasts share a symbiotic relationship,

which in short means, they survive or propagate by sharing their

byproducts as an energy or growth-source [u 4 I + I 4 u ... a

balanced relationship]. Bacteriocin may also be present, especially

if the appropriate strains of lactic acid bacteria are present in the

grains [13].

 

Batches of kefir grains obtained from various sources usually vary in

microflora composition. In fact, the microflora from the same batch

of kefir grains will vary during seasonal changes or due to culture-

conditions [adapting to the environment]. This localized-adaptation

may possibly encourage, or bring with it, a localized-protection for

the consumer, sharing that specific environment with the grains and

their microflora. More research definitely needs to be carried out in

order to gain more of an understanding at a scientific level.

Although, my intuition, in communion with logic tell me, that I may

well be on a correct path of thought/feeling.

 

I also feel that kefir grains may in effect contain five genus groups

and not just four, which make up the microflora i.e. including

coliforms [not mentioned below]. After all, Caucasians who consumed

large amounts of kefir, are renowned for their longevity and healthy

constitutions. I'm sure that the milk these tribes-people gathered

from their milking animals, contained coliform counts, due to milking

conditions! These people are often classified as centenarians, in

that many are known to live to, or over 100 years young. Not to

forget that these people were also known to ingest actual kefir

grains on a regular basis---which I feel is the key-factor to their

longevity [the former is not very well addressed today]!

 

(Note: I believe that although here are some named typical ones that

this list is not all inclusive. Frank)

 

Typical Microflora of Kefir Grains Divided In Four Genus groups

LACTOBACILLI

 

Lb. acidophilus

Lb. brevis

Lb. casei

Lb. casei subsp. rhamnosus

Lb. casei subsp. pseudoplantarum

Lb. paracasei subsp. paracasei

Lb. cellobiosus

Lb. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus

Lb. delbrueckii subsp. lactis

Lb. fructivorans

Lb. helveticus subsp. lactis

Lb. hilgardii

Lb. kefiri

Lb. kefiranofaciens

*Lb. kefirgranum sp. nov

*Lb. parakefir sp. nov

Lb. lactis

Lb. plantarum

 

STREPTOCOCCI/LACTOCOCCI

Lactococci lactis subsp. lactis

Lc. lactis var. diacetylactis

Lc. lactis subsp. cremoris

Streptococci salivarius subsp. thermophilus

S. lactis

Enterococcus durans

Leuconostoc cremoris

Leuc. mesenteroides

 

YEASTS

 

Kluyveromyces lactis

Kluyveromyces marxianus var. marxianus

K. bulgaricus

K. fragilis / marxianus

Candida kefir

C. pseudotropicalis

C. rancens

C. tenuis

Saccharomyces subsp. Torulopsis holmii

Saccharomyces lactis

S. carlsbergensis

S. unisporus

 

ACETOBACTER

 

Acetobacter aceti

A. rasens

Reference:

 

Encyclopaedia of food science, food technology, and nutrition [1993]

[pp. 1804-1808] Edited by R. Macrae, R.K. Robinson, M.J. Sadler

 

* International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 44 (3) 435-439

[1994]

 

Units Count of Microbes in Gram Stained Kefir Grains

 

Bacilli [single cells, pair, chains]

Streptococci [pair, chains]

Yeast [single cells]

The Means Range

 

Bacilli 66, 62-69%

Streptococci 16, 11-12%

Yeast 18, 16-20% [10]

 

NOTE: Candida albicans has not been found in kefir grains. Certain

yeasts of kefir include the name Candida as part of the nomenclature

[name]. These yeasts are not opportunistic yeasts such as C.

albicans, but are classified as Generally Regarded As Safe [GRAS].

Such yeasts may have the potential to keep C. albicans under control

in the host.

 

SOME RESEARCH TO CHEW ON : It was found that lactic acid products

were ineffective in fungus and proteus dysbacteriosis [16]. Whereas a

mixture of Lb. acidophilus + Kefir grains [Aciprole] was used to

manage antibiotic dysbacteriosis as an adverse reaction of

antibacterial therapy [17]. The fact that the therapy under the

antibiotic plus mixed probiotic regime with antibacterial therapy,

prevented the development of the clinical signs of dysbacteriosis is

of practical importance [18].

 

* KEFIRAN

Presently, the mechanism involved in the actual construction of the

bio-matrix structure [the grains], is not yet fully understood. A

soluble gel-polysaccharide discovered in kefir grains, was unique

enough to have been given its own name, kefiran [KGF-C]. Dry kefir

grains consist of a matrix of which approx. 45% is kefiran. This

polysaccharide [PS] is composed of specific percentages of two mono-

saccharides; Glucose and Galactose in almost equal proportions.

Kefiran is produced at the centre of the grain synthesized by

homofernentative Lactobacilli species including Lb. kefiranofaciens

and Lb. kefiri. These particular Lactobacilli are encapsulated within

the centre of the grain, where anaerobic conditions are favourable

for Kefiran synthesis in the presence of ethanol alcohol [2]. There

are other lactobacilli that produce a similar PS, Lb. sp. KPB-167B

and Lb. brevis are known to be such Lactobacilli.

 

These, including other species of Lactobacilli, which produce kefiran

or a similar form of PS [with slight variations between ratios of

glucose and galactose] produced at different rates or amounts of, may

be the mechanism behind the grains natural tendency to propagate as a

self-enclosed structure. This is possibly due to the different

strains of encapsulated microbes, arranged in specific layers spread

throughout the centre of the matrix.

 

Experiments performed with mice [against mice really], have revealed

kefiran exhibited anti-tumour properties. In these experiments,

kefiran administered orally, was found to reduce the size of tumours,

by inducing a specific immune response in mice. Much of this earlier

research was carried out in Japan [3, 4, 5, 6]. Recent research

evaluated kefir grains induce anti-inflammatory property in rats fed

kefir grain [7].

 

References:

 

2. Int J Food Microbiol 1990;11:127-34. Immunofluorescence

microscopic studies on distribution of L. kefiranofaciens and L.

kefir in kefir grains. Arihara K, Tobo T, Adachi S.

 

3. Immunopharmacology 1986 Aug;121:29-35. Immunopotentiative effect

of polysaccharide from kefir grain, KGF-C, administered orally in

mice. Murofushi M, Mizuguchi J, Aibara K, Matuhasi T, et al.

 

4. Yakugaku Zasshi 1992 Jul;112:489-95. Pharmacological study on

kefir-a fermented milk product in Caucasus. I. On antitumor activity

(1). Kubo M, Odani T, Nakamura S, Tokumaru S, Matsuda H, et al.

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kinki University, Osaka, Japan.

 

5. Jpn J Med Sci Biol 1982 Apr;35:75-80. Antitumor activity in mice

of orally administered polysaccharide from Kefir grain. Shiomi M,

Sasaki K, Murofushi M, Aibara K, et al.

 

6. Jpn J Med Sci Biol 1983 Feb;36:49-53. Effect of orally

administered polysaccharide from kefir grain on delayed-type

hypersensitivity and tumor growth in mice. Shiomi M, Aibara K,

Murofushi M, et al.

 

7. Pharmacol Res. 2003 Jan;47(1):49-52. Study of anti-inflammatory

activity of Tibetan mushroom, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and

fungi encapsulated into a polysaccharide matrix. Diniz RO, Garla LK,

Schneedorf JM, Carvalho JC.