If I eat a lot of yogurt, will the bacteria in it make me sick?

Answer 1

Not Enough Bacteria
— A study presented at the Southeas Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society suggests that some yogurts may not be as healthy as they claim to be. Salam Ibrahim of North Caroline A&T State University conducted research on yogurts claiming health benefits and found that almost 25% did not contain the healthy bacteria cultures they advertise.

The health benefits of yogurt have long been touted. It prevents intestinal infection, improves digestion and reinforces immune function – reason enough to consume plenty! Many of the intestinal and immune benefits from yogurt are due to active bacteria within the yogurt called bifidobacteria. Since the health benefits of bifidobacteria were discovered, there has been an effort by food manufacturers to incorporate more of these bacteria into dairy products such as yogurt.

“Many food manufactures, particularly yogurt manufacturers, put the name bifidobacteria or bifius on their labels to attract this growing consumer base,” Ibrahim asserts. “Consumers usually pay a higher price for products containing these healthy bacteria, and they hope to get some health benefits associated with them.”

Distinct from the bacteria that may make you sick, this “good bacteria” is essential to proper digestion. Good bacteria live in your intestines and help break down foods and attack and kill harmful pathogens before they can make you sick. In addition to normal yogurt cultures, bifidobacteria have been shown to help protect the body against infections such as GI tract infections and, some researchers claim, even cancer.

Consumers know that eating yogurt with bifidobacteria helps replenish the good bacteria and keep your body’s nature defenses working in topform. In order for yogurt to assist in intestinal health, though, it must contain viable cells of the bifidobacteria when you eat it.

Ibrihim’s goal was to screen commercial yogurt products claiming to contain viable cultures of bifidobacteria and test how many actually contain the healthy bacteria.

Ibrahim and his group bought 58 different products off of grocery stores shelves that claimed to include bifidobacteria. However, when he tested them under normal household conditions only 75.9% contained viable cultures and “only a few provided health benefits.” Almost a quarter of the yogurts didn’t contain any viable bifidobacteria at all. “During processing the number of active and alive cells tends to decline,” Ibrahim revealed.

“We want to make consumers aware of this issue and demand products that live up to the health claims,” Ibrahim says. “In addition, this research could help industry develop new technology to ensure consumers receive high quality products.”


Bacteria in yogurt have been modified to deliver a drug that blocks HIV infection.

In their natural state, the bacteria (Lactococcus lactis) produce lactic acid and are used to make cheese and yogurt. It is not harmful to humans.

Research based at Brown Medical School in Rhode Island altered the genetics of the bacteria so they generate cyanovirin, a drug that has prevented HIV infection in monkeys and human cells, according to a report at [e-mail].

Cyanovirin binds to sugar molecules that are attached to the HIV virus, blocking a receptor used by HIV to infect cells.

"It's basically passive immunization," said Sean Hanniffy, a member of the research team from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, UK.

Cyanovirin could be put into gels that women would apply to the vagina before sex. Or, an oral dose might provide long-term protection, the researchers speculate. They note that there could be public resistance to the whole idea of genetic modification.

The work has only been proved in a lab setting, however. Human trials could begin in 2007.

Answer 2

There is no evidence of human health problems from yogurt with live bacteria, said Dr. Kathryn Boor, assistant professor of food science at Cornell University, and there is some evidence the bacteria may be beneficial.

"There is a new field of study called probiotic bacteriology that is investigating whether living organisms can help colonize the gastrointestinal tract and keep out bad bacteria," Dr. Boor said.

It is controversial whether yogurt bacteria survive there, she said, and conclusions must await completion of research, but there is "better than anecdotal evidence" of such benefits. The theory is supported by studies of young chicks sprayed with bacteria present in adult chickens. The chicks take up these microbes and are not colonized by harmful salmonella, an effect called competitive exclusion.

Dr. Boor said she saw no reason to seek out yogurt without live cultures for fear of danger from the bacteria that ferment milk into yogurt. The most commonly used culture is Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus in combination with Streptococcus thermophilus. Both are harmless in the gut, if they survive, she said.

In Dr. Boor's research in the laboratory, so-called competition studies found this combination "very competent" in killing a disease-causing microbe like E. coli O157:H7 during yogurt production..

Answer 3

No, it will not make you sick. The bacteria in yogurt is actually very good for you. I've eaten more than a gallon of pure, unflavored yogurt in a day and had not ill effects.
Also, there are people in Siberia that use yogurt as their main food source. They live on the stuff.

Answer 4

The bacteria in yogurt is good for the digestive system, it will not make you sick. But always go for the standard brands. Also if you are constipated then have buttermilk instead of curd.

Answer 5

No I really don't think it will make you sick because i eat a lot of yogurt and nothing happens to me...a lot of people told me that it isn't bad for you at all!

Answer 6

nope.

The bacteria is good for you, and helps keep a "normal" balance in your intestines/colon. My mother is going thru a really nasty colon infection right now, and her doctor told her "eat lots and lots of yogurt".

So eat to your hearts content!! I like my yogurt spread on waffles. Yummy.

Answer 7

No, it actually helps the digestive system and keeps away yeast infections.

Answer 8

the bacterias is actually to make u gud..

Answer 9

No.
They are good tenants residing in your stomach house.

Answer 10

no never;because it will kill you with in hours,and will not make you sick!!!