simone
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 Posted: 03/11/08 - 18:36 Post subject: Researchers Found Bacteria Can Be Used As A Probiotic |
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According to new research bacteria Oxalobacter formigenes that has no known side effects, could be used as a probiotic to achieve a 70 % reduction in the risk of recurrent kidney stones. Previous studies found that the lifetime risk for developing a kidney stone is 5 – 15 % and a five – year risk for recurrence is 30 – 50 %. It was found that kidney stones represent great health problem in many countries.
Researchers claim that up to 80% of kidney stones are predominately composed on calcium oxalate and it seems that urinary oxalate is a major risk factor for CaOx stone formation. Bacteria O. formigendes metabolizes oxalate in the intestinal tract and researchers found that this bacteria is present in large amounts in adults. During the research experts examined about 250 adults with recurrent CaOx stones and compared with control group. Results showed that the prevalence of O. formigenes was 17% among cases and 38% among controls giving an odd ration of 0.3. These results were consistent in subgroups defined according to age, sex, race, region and use of antibiotic.
At the end of the study researchers noted that the possibility of using the bacterium as a probiotic is at this moment in the early stages of investigation. |
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