<h3>It is only a statistical story&#8230; the effect only &#8220;depends on the person&#8221;.</h3>
 Lactobacilli are said to reduce stress and visceral fat. With the posts &#8220;Sold out and can&#8217;t buy it at all!&#8221; and comments praising the effectiveness of lactobacilli such as &#8220;my lack of sleep has improved&#8221; and &#8220;stress has been eased&#8221; are abundant on SNS.
 I know it&#8217;s good for your body, but does it have such dramatic effects?
 It&#8217;s hard to say.&#8221;
 The answer is given by Dr. Masanori Sugiyama, who has continued his research on lactobacilli as director of the Hiroshima University Research Institute for the Co-creation of Medical Science for Prevention of Disease and Prevention, and was the first in the world to successfully develop a new yogurt production method using plant lactic acid bacteria.
 Lactic acid bacteria is a general term for &#8220;bacteria that produce large amounts of lactic acid,&#8221; and there are many different types. He says that the Shirota strain, R-1, and Gasseri bacteria are just a few and too many to count.
 The intestinal microflora (intestinal flora) is said to be home to more than 1,000 types of bacteria and over 100 trillion organisms. Not everyone has the same intestinal flora, and there are individual differences.
 For example, lactic acid bacteria themselves do not have functions such as reducing stress; it is the GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) produced by the bacteria that exerts the effect. 
 Since the intestinal microflora differs from person to person, there are people who are pleased with the expected effects of taking the same lactobacillus drink or yogurt, while others do not feel any effects at all.
 But it says &#8220;stress reduction&#8221; or &#8220;for countermeasures against visceral fat.&#8221; &#8230;&#8230;
 Naturally, when a company wants to commercialize a product, it conducts animal testing to ensure safety, and it also conducts clinical studies in which people are asked to take the product to obtain proper data. In our research, we have verified that the LP28 strain is effective in improving fatty liver and inhibiting the accumulation of fat in the body, and that the SN13T strain is effective in lowering γ-GTP levels. 
 We judge this by &#8220;statistical significance. Whether or not the desired health function effect can actually be obtained depends on the individual.
 Currently, there are more than 1,000 products that use lactic acid bacteria, such as yogurt.
 Each of them is probably trying to make the slightest difference in their products more appealing to the public in order to highlight their special characteristics. 
<figure id="attachment_262168" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-262168" style="width: 3861px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ceff92bb"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/08/aflo_35304330.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-262168" class="wp-caption-text"> In May this year, sales of lactobacillus beverages increased 14.4% year-on-year at food supermarkets and 29.0% at drugstores (based on statistical data from True Data Inc.) (Photo image: AFRO)</figcaption></figure>
<h3> Some lactobacilli products on the market based on conclusive data</h3>
 Moreover, the effects described on the products may not be based on solid data.
 Usually, in order to show functionality, it is necessary to take data in accordance with the functionality labeling of food products. To do this, a clinical trial protocol must be approved by a research ethics committee. Although subjects are selected at random, there are times when the selection of subjects is biased or the experiment is conclusion-driven. 
 My laboratory was also asked to &#8216;make sure that we get this kind of data.&#8217; I immediately refused. &#8216; I immediately refused.&#8221; 
 In fact, Nikkei Crosstech reported that when physicians and clinical statisticians evaluated the research reviews that each manufacturer submitted to the Consumer Affairs Agency, several manufacturers were found to have weak scientific evidence.
 The data is unreliable, and the effectiveness of the product varies from person to person. Still, it is said that lactobacilli should be actively taken.
<figure id="attachment_262169" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-262169" style="width: 3744px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4b4ad86e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/08/aflo_14609642.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-262169" class="wp-caption-text"> We do not know whether the expected health effects can be obtained, but it is certain that many people experience the promotion of intestinal regulation no matter what kind of lactobacilli they take&#8230;</figcaption></figure>
<h3> Research on lactobacilli is still in its infancy.</h3>
 Live microorganisms that have beneficial effects on human health when taken in moderate amounts are called &#8220;probiotics,&#8221; and lactobacilli are one of these probiotics.
 Intestinal bacteria include bad bacteria, good bacteria, and &#8220;opportunistic bacteria&#8221; that proliferate when the immune system is weakened, and it is now known that an imbalance between these bacteria can trigger a breakdown in the body&#8217;s metabolic and immune systems. It is said that the onset of diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, as well as many other diseases are caused by the collapse of intestinal bacteria.
 It is very important to improve the balance of intestinal bacteria with the help of lactic acid bacteria.
 Although some people may or may not be able to obtain the expected health benefits, yogurt is popular because many people experience that it promotes intestinal regulation no matter what type of lactobacilli they consume.
 Still, it is surprising that lactobacilli have an effect on allergies.
 When we eat food, pathogens and other germs enter our bodies. It is important for us to decide whether we should take them in or block them and expel them. The &#8220;Bayer plate&#8221; and other immune tissues in the intestines play a role in determining whether to take them in or block them and expel them. Seventy percent of these immune cells are located in the intestinal tract. By improving the balance of intestinal bacteria, immunity is enhanced and resistance to disease is improved.
 That is not all. Metabolites produced by intestinal bacteria are said to have a positive effect on cranial nerve cells and help stabilize the mind.
 One of the substances produced by lactic acid bacteria is GABA, which has been found to have a tranquilizing effect in addition to lowering blood pressure. 
 Most lactic acid bacteria products on the market today are derived from animals, but there are also plant-derived lactic acid bacteria that can ferment vegetables and fruits. According to Sugiyama, plant-derived lactobacilli, which are more acid-resistant than animal-derived lactobacilli, reach the intestines alive, so he encourages companies to develop products using plant-derived lactobacilli.
 The research of lactobacilli is still in its developmental stage,&#8221; he said. My dream is to further research the substances produced by lactobacilli and cure the 15 million patients with irritable bowel syndrome using lactobacilli.
 They are now conducting research to bring a therapeutic drug for autoimmune diseases to the market, with a target of 10 years from now.
 So what should we do now?
 We should not be fooled by catchphrases and take what suits us best. However, it is not a matter of taking too much. Too much can cause diarrhea. Take what suits you in just the right amount. That is what is important. 
<figure id="attachment_262170" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-262170" style="width: 1406px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="4bf9adda"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/08/b56e549084365a9108ede3b60263f0b1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-262170" class="wp-caption-text"> According to Sugiyama, plant-derived lactic acid bacteria, which are more acid-resistant than animal-derived lactic acid bacteria, reach the intestines alive. Photo: &#8220;My Flora,&#8221; a lactic acid fermented vegetable juice drink (Nomura Dairy Industry Co., Ltd.)</figcaption></figure>
Masanori Sugiyama is a professor at the Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Hiroshima University. Professor Emeritus, Hiroshima University. He has devoted himself to basic and practical research on the health functionality of lactic acid bacteria isolated from plants (plant lactic acid bacteria), and discovered &#8220;plant lactic acid bacteria effective in improving fatty liver and inhibiting the accumulation of fat in the body. Currently, he is focusing on research on probiotics effective for improving &#8220;lifestyle-related diseases&#8221; and &#8220;unwellness&#8221; as well as &#8220;autoimmune diseases. He is the author of &#8220;Modern Lactobacillus Science: Challenge to Preventive Medicine&#8221; (Kyoritsu Shuppan).

 Izumi Nakagawa

 Afro

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