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How Probiotics Help Treat Stomach Ulcers

How Can Probiotics Help Treat an Ulcer?

As detailed in our article on the proven health benefits of probiotics, probiotics taken along with traditional ulcer treatment can almost double the eradication rate of H. pylori (eradication odds ratio = 2.066).

Ulcers are sores that form from irritation in the lining of the stomach or duodenum usually caused by a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori for short. Other names for stomach ulcers include gastric ulcers or duodenal ulcers. Long term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) can also weaken the lining of the stomach and small intestine, leading to ulcer formation.

How Can Probiotics Help Treat an Ulcer?

Many people who have H. pylori ulcers do not display symptoms. Your risk of the infection increases with age; by age 60, 50 percent of people will be infected by H. pylori.

Probiotics are living organisms that help balance the microbiome in the digestive tract. They help with digestive health and can help with ulcer treatment. According to a study in 2014, although probiotics cannot kill H. pylori, they can reduce the number of H. pylori bacteria present and thus can decrease the the time required to heal and improve symptoms.1

Another study found that ingesting yogurt with lactic acid probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium suppresses the growth of H. pylori. The group who ate the yogurt twice a day for 6 weeks had decreased urease activity. Urease is an enzyme that is produced by H. pylori to help it survive in the stomach. Measuring urease activity is an indirect way of measuring the amount of H. pylori in the stomach.2

In conclusion, taking probiotics with other traditional treatments may help get rid of bad bacteria and improve stomach ulcer healing and symptoms. When choosing a probiotic supplement or food, choose one with a high dose and high number of probiotic strains such as DrFormulas Probiotic Advanced Supplement or kefir.

Read next: Probiotic Side Effects | Here's How to Avoid Them

 Sources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4743227/

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15321816