“I saw cigarette smoke lightly, but it’s worse than cancer” Eating ‘this’ prevents damage?
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[헤럴드경제=구본혁 기자] “One person dies every 10 seconds in the world due to respiratory damage, are there any preventive measures?”
Probiotic lactic acid bacteria, which are only known to help intestinal health, are notable as research results show they can prevent severe respiratory damage (chronic obstructive disease) caused by cigarette smoke.
Smoking and fine dust are the main factors in chronic obstructive disease that worsens lung function. It is particularly common in second-hand smokers as well as in smokers who smoke cigarettes. It is considered a more feared disease than cancer, with one person dying every 10 seconds worldwide. It is difficult to cure, so prevention is the most important thing.
In Korea, there is a strong perception that ‘probiotics = lactic acid bacteria’, so it has been considered as a kind of common health supplement. However, the role of beneficial bacteria in the prevention of certain diseases is expected to be greatly emphasized in the future.
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The research team of the Korea Food Research Institute experimentally found that probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum strain KF511) prevented respiratory damage caused by cigarette smoke.
The research team induced respiratory damage by injecting 6-week-old male laboratory mice with tobacco smoke extract and a proteolytic enzyme that can cause lung tissue damage.
After ingesting probiotics (strain KF511) for 3 weeks in some groups of experimental mice, the inhibitory efficacy was observed by comparing with mice that did not. As a result of the experiment, the effect of preventing respiratory damage was confirmed in probiotics fed to mice (strain KF511).
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Chronic obstructive disease is accompanied by airway obstruction, shortness of breath, cough and sputum, and as lung function declines faster than normal people, even walking on level ground is short of breath. Respiratory damage is difficult to cure, and stopping the progression is the only treatment method. Experts say prevention is very important.
Jintaek Hwang, head of the functional food research division at the Korea Food Research Institute, said, “Currently there is no product that can help respiratory health among health functional foods in Korea.
According to the Korean Society of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, the prevalence of chronic obstructive disease in Korea is 11.6%, resulting in annual treatment costs of 1.42 trillion won and socioeconomic costs of 7.47 million per capita. This is 5 to 10 times higher than typical chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com
