Billions of bacteria live in the human body, most of which inhabit our gut and are essential for the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Our digestive system consists of around 80% beneficial and 20% pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria. When the "bad" bacteria outnumber the "good" ones, we get sick. Keeping the bacteria in a healthy balance is essential for better digestion and stronger immune defence.
We all know that stomach discomfort, accompanied by symptoms such as pain, bloating, rumbling of the intestines and heartburn, is a very common problem that we often ignore, subsequently postponing our visit to the doctor in the belief that the problem is not serious and will pass on its own. But if this happens to you often, think about the causes that have led to these or other kinds of stomach complaints, as they could be key to solving the problem. It may turn out that the balance between the "good" and the "bad" bacteria has been disturbed and you need to change your lifestyle and eating habits, but it is also possible that the cause of the discomfort is something else entirely.
According to statistics, over 50% of the world's population are carriers of Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that lives in our digestive system and contributes to the development of chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease, conditions that were once thought to be genetically determined and attributed to stress and a weakened immune system rather than to the action of a microbial agent. Infection with Helicobacter pylori occurs through saliva, mouth to mouth, which explains the huge number of people who carry Helicobacter. Carriers of Helicobacter pylori also have an increased risk of developing a duodenal ulcer and a 2% risk of developing a malignant disease of the stomach. Infection can bring on symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and general malaise, but 80% of people infected with this bacterium have no symptoms whatsoever. The spiral shape of the dangerous bacterium and its flagella give it an advantage in penetrating and permanently settling in the gastric mucosa.
Professors Barry Marshall and Robin Warren discovered the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and received the prestigious Nobel Prize in 2005 for their breakthrough in identifying how a common ulcer-causing bacterium survives in the human stomach, as until then it had been assumed that nothing could grow there because of the corrosive nature of gastric juices. They identified that Helicobacter pylori produces a shield that protects it from gastric juices, making it extremely resilient and allowing it to survive for many years. Understanding this bacterium's ability to survive in the gastric environment will make it possible to find treatments that help eliminate Helicobacter pylori from the body.
If you have complaints similar to those described for ulcers or gastritis and want to be sure that you are not a carrier of the dangerous bacterium, you need to have a test that will prove the absence or presence of Helicobacter in your body. Various tests are used to confirm a Helicobacter infection (blood test, urea breath test, stool test), but the most accurate result is obtained by an endoscopic examination with a biopsy sample.
From what has been said so far, we can summarise that infection with Helicobacter happens extremely easily, even with just a kiss, which means that all of us are at risk of infection, even small children. Once confirmed, the infection must be treated in order to protect ourselves from diseases of the stomach and duodenum.
Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection consists of combining various antibiotics with products that suppress the acidity of gastric juices, the so-called proton pump inhibitors, and sometimes products that form a protective film over the gastric mucosa are included as well. The main problem in eradicating Helicobacter is the fact that the bacterium is highly resistant to antibiotics, which means that therapy may be ineffective, especially if the patient has recently taken a given antibiotic. Moreover, the use of several antibiotics increases the likelihood of a fungal infection (candida albicans), which further worsens the patient's condition.
Modern medicine is already working on the idea of developing an alternative agent in the fight against Helicobacter which, besides counteracting the bacterial infection, should also have a beneficial effect on the gastric mucosa. After conducting numerous studies on the dangerous bacterium, Prof. Barry Marshall is convinced that it can be eradicated even without antibiotics. Interestingly, Prof. Marshall is part of the international team of doctors investigating how the Lactobacillus bulgaricus strain GLB44, isolated from the snowdrop, acts against Helicobacter pylori.
Laboratory studies conducted at Harvard, as well as clinical trials conducted in Sofia, show that the Bulgarian product ProViotic, containing GLB44, is promising and effective against Helicobacter pylori infections. The product's safety profile and the absence of side effects allow it to be used for prophylaxis and prevention against Helicobacter pylori by adults and by children over 1 year of age alike.