Them's fightin' germs!

Byline: Julie Deardorff

CHICAGO _ It sounds downright risky, but snacking on billions of live bacteria can actually improve digestion, support the immune system and bolster overall health.

Called probiotics, these "friendly" microbes with health benefits are found naturally in breast milk and fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, aged cheese, miso and certain pickles and sauerkraut. They work by keeping intestinal flora balanced and preventing not-so-friendly bacteria from taking over and causing disease.

But during the last 50 years, the increased use of antibiotics and a changing diet low in soluble fiber and high in refined carbohydrates have produced an "invisible epidemic of insufficient probiotics," said Gary Huffnagle, professor of internal medicine and microbiology at the University of Michigan Medical School. "We're not getting what we used to (through diet), and we're destroying what's there," he said. "As a result, the balance of our intestinal microbe population has changed, sometimes with disastrous effects on our immune system."

Research on the topic is exploding. The National Institutes of Health recently announced that it will explore how bacteria in the body can promote health, and the food, supplement and cosmetics industries aren't about to be left behind. Though Americans are notorious germ freaks, the helpful bacteria and yeasts are being added to beverages, cereals, wellness bars, pet foods, infant formula and even personal-care products. As supplements, probiotics can be purchased as pills, liquids, capsules and powders.

The worldwide probiotic yogurt category alone is expected to increase in sales to $500 million from $294 million by 2010, according to the…