Clostridium Difficile Infection occurs in the intestine after alteration in the gut micro flora due to antibiotics use, it is especially common among individuals who have gone through intensive antibiotic therapy during hospitalization. As the goal of treatment is to restore natural intestinal microbial composition, what better way to do it than use Probiotics for Clostridium Difficile InfectionTreatment? Probiotics work in more than one way to cure this infection let us find out how.

How Probiotics Help Treat Clostridium Difficile Infection

Clostridium Difficile Infection can result in mild diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis and eventually death. The frequency and severity of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) depends on the antibiotic therapy. Probiotics organisms help in the maintenance of the intestinal epithelium and immune system.

In this particular infection probiotics not only colonize the gut but Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus lactis produce certain proteins that act as toxins to C. difficile. Beneficial bacteria repopulation in the gut also increases production of short chain fatty acids rendering the environment acidic and unsuitable for C. difficile growth. The site of interaction between the host and the microbe is the intestinal wall, probiotics inhibit adhesion and decrease invasion by pathogenic organisms on the wall. Lastly, they help in modulating body’s innate and adaptive immune system.

How To Use Probiotics To Treat Clostridium Difficile Infection

• Probiotic therapy is effective when the product consumed has live strains of microbes and their efficacy is dose dependent.
• Food labels of probiotic products must be carefully read to find out the details of the microbes present and the expiration date.
• Although probiotics play a curative role, when consumed on a daily basis it can even prevent many infections and health conditions in the body.
• Probiotics can be consumed in daily diet in the form of diary products like acidophilus milk, kefir, cultured milk, cultured buttermilk, and yogurt.
• Probiotics can also be added to daily diet by incorporating soy, rice or coconut milk with live microbes, pickled vegetables (Raw kimchi, sauerkraut or pickled beets, carrots or other vegetables), hummus, tempeh, formulated health bars, miso, cereals, and certain probiotic salad dressings.
• Probiotics are also available as a wide variety of dietary supplements in capsule, tablets or liquid forms for easy use.
• Prebiotics taken along with probitics enhance their activity.

Best Probiotics for Clostridium Difficile Infection

The best probiotic strains for fighting C. difficile infection are S. boulardii, L. lactis, L. rhamnosus GG, and L. plantarum. Among the common probiotic products used Choice Super 8 High Potency Probiotic, Treelac, Fivelac, Florastor, Culturelle probiotic products, VSL3, Advanced Adult Probiotic, Yakult, Align, Activia yogurt, EcoVag, Yoplait YoPlus, Stonyfield yogurt, Pearl, Dong Quai, Coco Biotic, Goodbelly splash, Goodbelly probiotic fruit drink, Mutaflor, Actimel, etc.

Things to Remember while Using Probiotic Therapy

Probiotics are contraindicated in people who are compromised immunologically, in such cases their use should be completely avoided or carried out under strict supervision of a medical practitioner.

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