IGM researcher: Lactid acid bacteria stimulates the human immune system - 10.06.2010

Ph.D. Gudrun Weiss, postdoc here at the department, works with the "Associations between the diet, the composition of microbiota of the intestinal tract, human health and well-being." and has found the underlying mechanism for why the bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus (in Denmark found in dairy products such as e.g. A38 and Cultura) strenghtens the immune system, in particular with children and the elderly.

Gudrun Weiss and her collegues found the biological mechanism via test tube trials, mixing lactic acid bacteria with the cells of the immune defence. They found that the bacteria weakens e.g. the replication of influenza virus.  The time one has to be sick with the flu can shortened considerably, says Gudrun Weiss.

Article (in Danish) from Videnskab.dk