New Yogurt Fights Ulcer-Causing Bacteria

SALT LAKE CITY—Results of human clinical studies confirm that a new yogurt fights the bacteria that cause gastritis and stomach ulcers. The results were reported at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

A type of bacteria called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) causes most stomach ulcers. Although H. pylori ulcers can be effectively treated and eliminated with antibiotics and acid suppressants, these are not readily available to poverty-stricken people in developing countries.

According to the researchers, H. pylori seems to rely on a protein called urease to attach to and infect the stomach lining. In an effort to thwart that protein, or antigen, they turned to classic vaccine-making technology. They injected chickens with urease and allowed the chickens' immune systems to produce an antibody to the protein. The researchers then harvested the antibody, called IgY-urease, from chicken eggs. The ressearchers theorized that yogurt containing the antibody may help prevent the bacteria from adhering to the stomach lining.

To test their theory, the scientists recruited 42 people who tested positive for H. pylori. The volunteers consumed two cups daily of either plain yogurt or yogurt containing the antibody for four weeks. Levels of urea, a byproduct of urease, decreased significantly in the antibody group when compared with the control group, indicating reduced bacterial activity, the researchers say.

The new yogurt is already on store shelves in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.