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the chance of developing colon cancer or slow its progression. However, three studies have shown positive indications for using probiotics and prebiotics to prevent and treat colon cancer. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that foods fortified with probiotics and prebiotics reduced certain markers of colon cancer in patients with colon cancer. is study provides the most direct evidence to date that the combination of probiotics and prebiotics benefits patients with colon cancer. Studies in humans oen take several years to complete. One quick way to get an assessment of a treatment's effectiveness is to use biomarkers — characteristics of cells or molecules that can be objectively measured — to determine levels of toxic metabolites, which are potentially harmful substances formed as the result of normal body functions. A Belgian study that used this method reported that consuming either a probiotic (Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium) or a prebiotic (oligofructose-inulin) resulted in reduced levels of specific toxic metabolites. Finally, in a European study of human patients, one group took a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics for eight weeks. ey had less DNA damage and a lower rate of cell proliferation in their colon tissue samples than a control group, which didn't take probiotics or prebiotics. In addition, stool samples from the probiotics group had certain characteristics that indicated reduced cancer risk. Considering bladder cancer Bladder cancer is common and typically has a high recurrence rate. One clinical study found that patients with bladder cancer who took probiotics (Lactobacillus casei) had longer remission periods, in which the cancer didn't reappear. A Japanese study also found that cancer patients who received probiotics took longer to develop the cancer and the cancers were not as severe when they recurred in probiotic- treated patients. Treating cervical cancer Treatment for cervical cancer consists of surgery in the early stages and chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the advanced stages. One study of 228 women with advanced cervical cancer found that those who received probiotics had a higher four-year survival rate — 69 percent, versus 46 percent for women who didn't receive probiotics. Another study found that when probiotics were given before and during radiation for cervical cancer, patients had less radiation-related diarrhea. Nine percent of the probiotic group needed anti-diarrhea medication, whereas 32 percent of the non-probiotic group needed antidiarrheals. Slowing down lung cancer Initial research shows that probiotics don't reduce the incidence of lung cancer, but may slow its growth. Cancer cell growth in lung cancer patients who received vitamin K2 was slower than in patients who didn't take the vitamin. Probiotics may play a role here because they convert vitamin K1, which is common in vegetables, to vitamin K2 in the colon (which also may reduce the risk of colon cancer). Treating Heart Disease Fiy percent of all deaths in United States are caused by heart disease and strokes. e most common factors contributing to these illnesses are high cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. e following sections discuss how probiotics may help alleviate these contributing factors. Lowering blood pressure Fiy million Americans have high blood pressure, oen called "the silent killer" because many people have no symptoms. Blood pressure is measured in two ways: systolic, or the pressure when your heart beats while it's pumping blood, and diastolic, or the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries between heartbeats. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 (systolic/diastolic) or lower. High blood pressure can damage your arteries and other blood vessels, as well as your heart, kidneys, and other organs. Probiotic enzymes break down milk proteins, and the resulting products fight high blood pressure. Animal studies show that the probiotic Lactobacilli can reduce blood pressure. Keeping cholesterol in balance Cholesterol has a good component (HDL) and a bad component (LDL). e higher the LDL levels, the higher the risk of heart disease. HDL, on the other hand, protects against heart disease. Probiotics can break down cholesterol and use it in their metabolic processes, which decreases your cholesterol levels. Fermented milk and acidophilus have been shown to increase HDL and lower LDL, decreasing the chance of heart disease, and other studies have shown that L. acidophilus and L. lactis decrease cholesterol. Probiotics also may decrease cholesterol by lowering the synthesis of cholesterol by the liver. Your liver uses cholesterol to make bile acids. Bile is stored in the liver and, when needed, pumped into the small bowel, where 95 percent of the bile is reabsorbed and makes its way back to the liver. Probiotics make an enzyme that breaks down the bile salts that Page 26 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysHealthAndNutrition.com Abby's Magazine - January/ February 2015 | Page 31