Probiotics and NK cells

Calluna

6 Posts
Reply Posted on: Feb 9, 2016 at 3:59am
Hello Dr Braverman,


Do you know if there are any specific probiotic strains of Lactobacilli or Bifidobacteria that have been found not to elevate natural killer cell cytotoxicity?


Many thanks.

Dr. Braverman

2026 Posts
RE: Probiotics and NK cells Posted on: Feb 9, 2016 at 7:07am
You have to interpret these type of reports very carefully . You need to look at the overall effect of a probiotic and not simply its effect on one cell, you will draw the wrong conclusions that way. I would be happy to look at your study on these probiotics and comment.
Braverman Medical Team
Braverman Reproductive Immunology P.C.

Calluna

6 Posts
Reply RE: Probiotics and NK cells Posted on: Feb 11, 2016 at 11:21am
Thank you Dr Braverman - that would be really helpful. I've looked at many studies on this but here is a link to one that covers a range of effects of probiotics on the immune system - I would be very interested to read your comments on this:


http://www.horizonpress.com/cimb/v/v10/37.pdf


I have been taking probiotics - both a mix of Lactobacilli/Bifidobacteria strains and a mix of soil-based strains (Prescript Assist) - mainly for their effects on Tregs, but I'm wondering if I may be doing more harm than good, as my NK cells are apparently too good at killing things.

Dr. Braverman

2026 Posts
RE: Probiotics and NK cells Posted on: Feb 11, 2016 at 11:57am
Let me go over this . Its important to know that most probiotics have been shown to have pro inflammatory effects as well as anti inflammatory . Many effects are just at the level of the gut some systemic . It is most important to look at the overall effect on the condition you are trying to treat. Some probiotics we use claim to elevate NKacitvity but at the same time lessen endo which is the more important of the two issues. Remember NKa may be a sign of endo and not necessarily a sign of immune rejection of embryos it is a very complicated subject. Ill look this over and give you an opinion.
Braverman Medical Team
Braverman Reproductive Immunology P.C.

Emma

5 Posts
RE: Probiotics and NK cells Posted on: Feb 13, 2016 at 1:31am
This is very interesting topic, to me also. I have endo and adeno and elevated NK and TNF alpha. Taking general probiotic BIO ACIDOPHILUS from BioCare and was wondering - am I helping myself or quite the opposite.

Dr. Braverman

2026 Posts
RE: Probiotics and NK cells Posted on: Feb 13, 2016 at 6:38am
acidophilus may have some inflammatory effects. But again remember the complex interacton between all cytokines and immune cells. When one cytokine is elevated by itself it has one effect but when elevated along with others it has a complete opposite effect. So really to evaluate a probiotic for any given disease state it is better to see the change in the disease state and not neccessarily a change in certain cytokines (or cells) associated with that disease state. Its just not that easy and why there is so much conflicting information on probiotics being inflammatory or anti inflammatory , or good or bad for endo because they affect NK cell activyt etc. We recommend a line of probiotics that we are sure are anti inflammatory and also a line that treat endometrioisis as well as insulin resistance seen in PCOS(two conditions that are so common to our pateints)
Braverman Medical Team
Braverman Reproductive Immunology P.C.