Yakult probiotic drink side effects

By Probiotics Expert: Dr. Raga

What is Yakult probiotic?

Yakult is a probiotic drink made from the fermentation of milk that contains beneficial bacteria which are scientifically proven to reach the intestines alive and in adequate amounts.

A bottle of yakult has about 6.5 billion cells of the probiotic strain, Lactobacillus casei Shirota, which was discovered by Dr. Minoru Sirota.

The product name “Yakult”  came from the Esperanto word for yogurt which is “jahurto”. However, yakult is not a yogurt product but rather a skimmed fermented milk drink.

Yakult Ingredients

Yakult’s standard ingredients are Sugar (sucrose, dextrose), skimmed milk powder, natural flavors and water.

One bottle contains 6.5 billion CFUs of Lactobacillus casei Shirota.

  – Lactobacillus: The term lactobacillus comes from two Latin words, lactose (milk) and bacillus (small rod). This is a kind of rod-shaped bacteria which is commonly used in the production of dairy products.

  – casei: Derived from the Latin word which means “cheese”. This term reflects the association of the specie to dairy products.

  – Shirota:Taken from Yakult’s founder, Dr. Shirota

These ingredients are not my favorite. I do not believe in taking probiotics with sugar in them.

What does Yakult do?

Yakult is a probiotic drink which is formulated with billions of live and active beneficial bacteria. Naturally, the digestive tract has trillions of various kinds of bacteria. Some of these bacteria are useful to the body while others are harmful.

Probiotics are defined to be live microorganisms which cause health benefits to its host when taken adequately.

Probiotics like Yakult help to replenish the digestive system’s supply of good bacteria. When the good bacteria in the gut are balanced to the bad ones, the body becomes better in fighting off these disease-causing microorganisms. This allows balance in digestive system which overall contributes to the body’s overall health.

Yakult Health Benefits

Yakult provides the body with 6.5 billion live cells of Lactobacillus casei Shirota.

This probiotic strain which is acid resistant can survive the passage through the stomach acid and bile acid in the process of digestion. As these beneficial bacteria reach the intestines, these have the ability to alter the balance between the good and bad bacteria found there. This balance is essential to keep healthy digestive and immune systems.

Lactobacillus casei Shirota performs a lot of vital roles in the body. These are neutralizing the detrimental effects caused by the substances from harmful bacteria, normalizing the balance of intestinal flora, and regulating the bowel movements.

Yakult Scientific Basis

In a study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, the effects of  Yakult in the reduction of small intestinal bacteria overgrowth were tested by Peter Gibson and his colleagues.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) commonly occurs in a condition called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This is also most likely the culprit behind the symptoms of the mentioned digestive disorder.

In the study,  it has shown that Yakult can alter the process of fermentation patterns. This means that it has a significant effect to the reduction of SIBO.

The study was conducted on  14 patients of IBS who have undergone the treatment for 6 weeks.

Who may take Yakult?

Almost everyone can take Yakult. It is recommended for adults as well as children. For infants and toddlers, it is advised to have Yakult slowly incorporated to their diet by having small amounts first, then, gradually increasing up to 1 bottle.

It may also be consumed by people who are lactose intolerant since Yakult only contains small amounts of naturally –produced milk sugar (lactose). However, those who have severe cases of lactose intolerance should consult the doctor first.

Diabetic people may also include Yakult in their daily diet as long as they discuss with their physician on how much they could take on a daily basis.

Yakult Suggested Use

Regular consumption of  Yakult is recommended. Ideally, it should be taken by 1-2 bottles everyday.

For adults, 1-2 bottles are advised to be taken daily, usually either during or after eating.

In children, an intake of 1 bottle a day is suggested.

While in infants over 8 months and toddlers, 1 bottle daily is also advisable. However, Yakult should be slowly introduced to diet. Start with small amount and gradually increase it up to full bottle.

Yakult Side Effects

Since Yakult is a food product, there is no side effect that may usually occurs, however, for those who are just trying Yakult for the first time, bloating is commonly experienced within the first week. This happens as the body tries to establish normal balance of the intestinal microflora.

My Favorite Probiotic

Probacto is the best probiotic that I have ever run into. They use multiple strains and they are spore forming so they can last while not refrigerated. They do not use cheap bacteria, but expensive ones such as B. Subtilis.

Probacto also contains prebiotics to help stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Probacto contains digestive enzymes to assist with candida die-off.

Probacto is enteric coated and made to be slow release so it will release in your gut gradually.

Conclusion

Probiotics have been around for a long period of time already. Beneficial strains of bacteria were discovered due to certain processes that led to their discovery. Although there are already various strains of bacteria discovered nowadays, there is still a definite need for more research to establish further knowledge on how probiotics work. This is very important because many probiotic products are appearing in the market but the scientific proof behind their claims is mostly lacking.

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