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Lactobacillus caseiRANK: SpeciesTAXONOMY: Firmicutes -> Bacilli -> Lactobacillales -> Lactobacillaceae -> Lactobacillus -> Lactobacillus casei group -> Lactobacillus casei OVERVIEW: Lactobacillus casei is a species of genus Lactobacillus found in the human intestine and mouth. This particular species of Lactobacillus is documented to have a wide pH and temperature range, and complements the growth of L. acidophilus, a producer of the enzyme amylase (a carbohydrate-digesting enzyme).A commercial beverage containing L. casei strain Shirota has been shown to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori in vivo. But, when the same beverage was consumed by humans in a small trial, H. pylori colonization decreased only slightly, and the trend was not statistically significant. Some L. casei strains are considered to be probiotic, and may be effective in alleviation of gastrointestinal pathogenic bacterial diseases. According to World Health Organization, those properties have to be demonstrated on each specific strain—including human clinical studies—to be valid. L. casei has been combined with other probiotic strains of bacteria in randomized trials studying its effects in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) and patients in the trials who were not given the placebo had significantly lower rates of AAD or CDI (depending on the trial) with no adverse effects reported. Additionally, trials have shown significantly shorter recovery times in children suffering from acute diarrhea (primarily caused by rotavirus) when given different L. casei treatments when compared to placebo. This species has been identified as a resident in the human gastrointestinal tract based on the phylogenetic framework of its small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences.[PMC 4262072]. Appears to have anti-depressant effects: Those in the bottom 1/3 of the group initial scores on POMS reported feeling happier and less depressed. In humans, the efficacy of probiotics for mood regulation was suggested in a trial of Lactobacillus casei that showed subjects with the lowest scores in the depressed/elated dimension at baseline had significant improvement in mood scores after taking the probiotic compared to the placebo group. The combination of L. helveticus and B. longum reduced anxiety and had beneficial psychological effects with decreased serum cortisol in healthy human volunteers. [PMC4315779] |