THE STAR, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2020
YOUR HEALTH
Attending
to crucial
ageing needs
MANY people do not know much
about geriatrics, says Dr Lam Ngee
Wei, consultant physician and
geriatrician at Subang Jaya Medical
Centre. “The public and even a few
people in the medical industry
think that geriatricians are general
practitioners (GPs) who treat
elderly people, as opposed to
geriatrics being a legitimate sub-
specialisation,” he says.
These misconceptions affect the
way patients seek treatment, as
they do not think a visit to a
geriatrician is necessary. Dr Lam
explains that geriatricians are
trained with advanced knowledge
in the healthcare of the elderly.
Geriatricians analyse the physical,
physiological, social and emotional
challenges of the elderly patient
and determine if these issues are
caused by the natural ageing
process, multiple medical
conditions and cultural or social
influence.
Dr Lam illustrates the
differences between a geriatrician
and a GP, saying, “GPs will treat an
illness and discharge you when
you are well. Geriatricians will
look into why the illness occurs
and if there are any underlying
causes to the illness. For example,
geriatricians will not just give a
patient with pneumonia
antibiotics. Geriatricians will check
if the patient has had problems
swallowing or bad dental hygiene
as these factors could be causing
the pneumonia, and we will
provide vaccinations after
treatment to prevent its
reoccurrence.”
He emphasises that the elderly
do not recover as easily as younger
people do, and thus require a more
cautious approach during
treatment.
Not just a simple cold
It is common for people to
not go to the doctor for mild
symptoms or illnesses, but Dr Lam
discourages elderly people from
doing the same. He explains that
older people respond to illness
differently because of ageing and
sometimes, mild symptoms can
signify something more serious.
Dr Lam suggests that associating
symptoms with normal signs of
ageing plays a role in patients’
reluctance to visit a geriatrician.
This is because people do not see
the need to send their parents or
themselves to a geriatrician for
check-ups. However, ignoring these
issues may cause complications in
the long run.
He says, “Prevention is better
than cure. Don’t wait for the
elderly to fall, become weak,
lose weight or become frail
because of lack of treatment and
Dr Lam Ngee Wei.
intervention. If patients go to the
hospital early, geriatricians can
anticipate, target and treat the
condition so patients can stay
healthy and independent for
longer. It may be too late if you
wait for something to happen
before going to the hospital.”
For patients who may be
considering a first visit to a
geriatrician, Dr Lam advises that
the patients bring along all the
medication they may be on, as well
as past health reports and their
main carers or guardians.
He assures that there is no need
for any additional preparation to
an appointment. “Geriatricians will
carry out a comprehensive
geriatric assessment on your
medical illness, medication, daily
activity, social support, mood and
more. They can draw conclusions
and help you come up with a
healthy ageing plan for you.
Geriatricians work very closely in a
team with professionals of other
specialties and allied health staff to
coordinate and provide the care
you need accordingly.”
At the end of the day, for older
people who are required to meet
with multiple specialists for their
multiple medical conditions, the
burden falls on the carer,
commonly the children, to send
them for appointments. Hence, it
can be overwhelming for those
who care for ageing parents.
Dr Lam says geriatricians are
designed to help with this issue.
“Geriatricians will coordinate the
patients’ medical appointments,
prescribe medication and monitor
their overall medical conditions so
they do not have to see so many
specialists when it is not
necessary.” With that, Malaysian
elders and their loved ones will
have fewer things to worry about
while ensuring their health and
quality of life.
n For more information, call
03-5639 1212.
If an elderly loved one is reluctant to see a geriatrician, Dr Lam suggests eliciting the help of someone trusted by the
patient to encourage him to do so.
The care you deserve in your later years
The study of geriatrics
requires a prior background in
internal medicine. Geriatricians
operate by the rule of 5Ms to
assess and ensure the well-being
of elderly patients
l Mind – It is common for the
elderly to experience dementia,
depression or delirium.
Geriatricians are trained to
diagnose and differentiate these
conditions and formulate the
appropriate treatment and
intervention.
l Mobility – Geriatricians will
assess the mobility of the patient
such as body functionality,
balance, frailty, vulnerability to
Who needs to see a geriatrician?
Malaysia classifies elderly
persons to be above the age of 65,
but consultant physician and
geriatrician at Subang Jaya
Medical Centre Dr Lam Ngee Wei
says the need to see a geriatrician
largely depends on the person’s
general health. He explains that
geriatricians work as health
coordinators for elderly patients
who have multiple medical
illnesses, consume a variety of
medications, or experience a
form of disability.
Therefore, an 80-year-old man
who leads an active lifestyle with
normal cognitive function and
maybe has only one medical
condition such as high
infections and diseases and
proneness to falling to anticipate
and prescribe preventative
methods to help elderly patients
maintain their independence.
l Medication – Some elderly
people have multiple ailments
and consume various types of
medications a day. Geriatricians
evaluate the reactions the
medication have with each other
and optimise the drug
combinations to reduce or
manage unwanted side effects.
l Multi-complexity – Every
patient has his or her own set of
worries such as multiple medical
conditions, financial ability,
cholesterol does not need to see
a geriatrician. A regular check-up
with a general physician is
enough. On the other hand, a
50-year-old with multiple medical
conditions or a functional
disability can choose to see a
geriatrician even if he is not yet
classified as an elderly person.
For seniors who do not want to
see a geriatrician, Dr Lam advises
loved ones to understand the
elderly’s reluctance. “It may be
out of fear, thinking it is a waste
of money, a distrust for new
doctors or other reasons. So,
we need to figure out what
the elderly person’s reluctance
stems from and solve the
social support and caregiver
availability. Hence, the
geriatrician will assess the
situation and provide
personalised plans for the care
and treatment of the patient.
l (What) Matters most –
Geriatricians provide a holistic
line of care by taking the
patient’s concerns and life
situation into account when
prescribing a care plan. While a
general physician may discharge
you after treatment,
geriatricians will follow up on
your condition and care plan to
prevent and detect potential
health issues.
problem accordingly.”
He suggests that family
members bring in a third party
the patient respects and trusts,
such as their primary care
doctor, an older member of the
family or even a religious leader
to advise them to see a
geriatrician. Besides that, he
cautions elderly patients’ family
members to not put too much
pressure on the patient, but
instead persuade them gently to
take their geriatric health
journey one step at a time. If the
patient is comfortable with the
experience in his first visit to the
geriatrician, he would want to go
back of his own volition.
2 Your Health THE STAR, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2020

The importance of gut

IN conjunction with colorectal
cancer (CRC) awareness month,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Medical Centre dean Prof Dr Raja

health and probiotics

Affendi Raja Ali shares some
insights on the prevalence of CRC
in Malaysia and recent
developments in its treatment.
Recently, an article titled A
randomized double-blind placebo-
controlled trial of probiotics in post-
surgical colorectal cancer was
published in BMC
Gastroenterology. This study, led by
Dr Raja, is the first local study to
provide evidence on the “immuno-
biotic” effect of lactic acid
probiotics – Lactobacillus and
Bifidobacterium strains – on CRC
patients who have undergone
surgery and chemotherapy.

Q: How is gut health linked to

CRC?
A: As Hippocrates, an
outstanding figure in the history of
medicine, once said, “All disease
begins in the gut.” The gut
represents almost 80% of the
immune system. An imbalance of
the gut microbiota can trigger an
inflammatory response through
the production of harmful proteins
called pro-inflammatory cytokines,
which can slowly lead to the
development of colorectal cancer.
This is because harmful bacteria
can produce toxins and
carcinogens to initiate the
inflammatory process in the gut.
Hence, people living with chronic
gut inflammation are more
susceptible to CRC. In this case,
consumption of probiotics can
potentially restore gut health and
reduce the level of pro-
inflammatory cytokines.

Q: What is the novelty of this

clinical study?
A: This is the first local study
that shows how local probiotics
can be used as a therapeutic
agent to reduce the level of
pro-inflammatory cytokines.
B-Crobes (M) Sdn Bhd director Dean Lee (second from left) congratulating Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre dean Prof Dr Raja Affendi Raja Ali
(third from left) and his GUT Research Group with a commemorative plate following their breakthrough in colorectal cancer treatment research. They are
flanked by Dr Khairul Najmi Muhammad Nawawi (far left), Prof Dr Norfilza Mohd Mokhtar (third from right), Prof Dr Tan Geok Chin (second from right), and
Dr Norhazlina Abd Wahab.

Q: What role did probiotics
play in this study?
A: Many cancer patients who
undergo chemotherapy and
surgery have had adverse effects
that reduce their respective quality
of life. The goal for medical
professionals is not only to treat
patients, but also improve their
quality of life after treatment. This
study emphasised how certain
probiotic strains can significantly
reduce the levels of pro-
inflammatory cytokines, which are
high in CRC patients, through the
probiotic strains’ immuno-
Preserving our gut health is important to ward off diseases, because, as Hippocrates once said, “All disease
begins in the gut.”
modulation properties.
In addition, these probiotic
strains promote the return of
normal gut function in post-
surgical CRC and ICU patients,
therefore they can absorb nutrient
better for a faster recovery and
shorter hospitalisation duration,
according to a 2016 study titled
Microbial cell preparation in enteral
feeding in critically ill patients: A
randomized, double-blind, placebo-
controlled clinical trial published in
Journal of Critical Care and another
2016 study titled Pre-surgical
Administration of Microbial Cell
Preparation in Colorectal Cancer
Patients: A Randomized Controlled
Trial published in World Journal of
Surgery.
Q: The study describes
probiotics as “immunobiotics”.
Please explain this new term.
A: In this study, the
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium
probiotic strains showed an
immuno-biotic effect by positively
influencing the immune status of
CRC patients by lowering pro-
inflammatory cytokine levels by at
least 60%.
Q: Are all probiotics in the
market the same? Why is
clinical evidence important in
choosing which probiotics to
consume?
A: Not all probiotics are the
same. There are so many
probiotics in the market but not
many of them have been clinically
tested with randomised controlled
clinical trials.
A randomised controlled
clinical trial is a type of scientific
clinical trial that aims to reduce
certain sources of bias when
testing the effectiveness of the
new treatment. Randomised
controlled trials are the most
reliable method available for
testing new treatments.
The function and efficacy of
probiotic products would not be
known if studies have not been
conducted on it. Not all probiotic
strains can be used in
immunocompromised people such
as CRC patients. Other probiotic
strains may not have given the
same results as what was seen in
this study. It is very important for
consumers to know the efficacy
and safety of different probiotic
strains before they make a choice.
Q: How safe is the
use of probiotics in
immunocompromised patients?
A: The safety of every probiotic
strain needs to be justified
through clinical study. The
probiotics used in this study were
considered safe as they did not
worsen patients’ diarrhoea and
there was no infection, antibiotic
usage or patient hospitalisation
during the period of the study.
Q: Do you have advice for
The gut represents
almost 80% of the
immune system. An
imbalance of the gut
microbiota can trigger
an inflammatory
response through
the production of
harmful proteins called
pro-inflammatory
cytokines, which
can slowly lead to
the development of
colorectal cancer.
Malaysians in conjunction with
CRC awareness month?
A: In Malaysia, colon cancer is
the most common type of cancer
for men and second most common
for women. The good news is that
colon cancer can be screened and
prevented. I hope that CRC
awareness month will serve as a
reminder for all Malaysians to take
care of their gut health.
Colon cancer screening has been
proven to reduce the prevalence of
the disease and, hence, lower the
fatality rate. If you want a better
quality of life, make certain
lifestyle changes and practise a
healthy diet. Most importantly,
access to healthcare and
undergoing screenings at
stipulated ages are the best ways to
prevent colon cancer.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2020 3
4 THE STAR, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2020
THE STAR, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2020 Your Health 5

For healthy skin

OUR looks seem to be everything,
especially in today’s day and age
where selfie culture is widespread
and prevalent, and first
impressions highly matter.
Regardless of gender, we all share
the same top priority of ensuring
our skin looks smooth, fair and
youthful for as long as possible.
However, despite our best
efforts, the skin can sometimes age
prematurely because of certain
factors such as exposure to UV rays
from the sun, an imbalanced diet,
excessive smoking, alcohol
consumption and stress. These
skin from showing these signs of
ageing. However, skincare
products generally tend to treat
only the surface symptoms, while
long-term use of medication and
creams can cause our skin to
become dry, thereby further
exacerbating our skin health.
Black ginger (Kaempferia
parviflora), also known as Thai
ginseng, is an herb indigenous to
South-East Asia, specifically Laos
and Thailand, where it is
commonly used as a folk remedy
by the locals.
Many studies carried out on this
Jarrah honey has
therapeutic properties
due to the presence
of significantly high
levels of antimicrobial
properties (measured
as TA value) as
Polymethoxyflavonoids from
Kaempferia parviflora published in compared with other
Natural Product Communications. types of honey.
In addition, black ginger is
proven to prevent the appearance
of dark spots, which is caused by a
process called glycation. This
irreversible process can turn your
skin darker and duller, which may
cause feelings of self-
consciousness and your
confidence levels to drop.
The PMFs in black ginger are
strong inhibitors of the glycation
process. Black ginger can also help
in reducing visceral fat. This is the

factors can negatively affect the
collagen and elastic fibres in the
body, causing the skin to sag and
form unsightly wrinkles and dark
remarkable herb have shown that
it contains high levels of
polymethoxyflavonoids (PMFs).
PMFs play a major role in
Natural way to
fat stored around the internal
organs such as the heart and liver,
and the greater the amount of
visceral fat, the higher our risk of

spots. activating SIRT1, an effective contracting type 2 diabetes and
It is common to turn to factor that protects cellular heart disease.
skincare products and DNA from further This herb can be difficult to
over-the-counter damage, according to a procure, so an alternative is a
remedies such as 2014 article titled black ginger supplement. Look for
medication and Potent SIRT1 one that has been standardised to
steroid Enzyme-stimulating contain more than 15% of all five
creams to and Anti-glycation types of PMFs, such as the
prevent the Activities of patented Sirtmax black ginger
extract. Bonus points if it also
contains green tea, which is well
known for its high antioxidant
levels.
This informational article is
brought to you by Herbs of Gold.
n For more information, call
1800 183 288.
Black ginger extract is a proven
ingredient that helps develop
healthy skin and overall well-being.
boost immunity
AMID the pandemic, a growing
concern is in strengthening
immunity to fight off disease. In
addition to medical treatment,
certain natural products can help
boost your immunity.
Western Australian Jarrah
Honey is high in antimicrobial
activity, and therefore can be used
as a natural therapeutic agent to
boost your immune system and
fight against the sickness.
Opceden Jarrah Honey has
naturally occurring antibacterial
and anti-microbial properties that
is measured as Total Activity (TA).
The TA rating of active honey
denotes the strength of the
antibacterial property of the
honey, measured by a standard
bacterial-killing scale.
Opceden Jarrah Honey is
laboratory-tested and certified for
its TA score, which is usually 20+,
but can be as high as 35+.
With a TA value this high,
Opceden Jarrah Honey
demonstrates therapeutic
properties and can be used to
treat mouth ulcers, soothe sore
throats and even support a
healthy immune system. Just one
teaspoon of Opceden Jarrah
Honey daily can confer health
benefits on the body.
n For more information, call Asia
Healthcare at 03-6156 2836/2936.
6 Your Health THE STAR, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2020

Reconnecting
the link between
generations
ACCORDING to University Malaya’s Social
Wellbeing Research Centre, Malaysia will
soon become an ageing nation as the
number of people above the age of 60 is
expected to reach 3.5 million in 2020, and
6.3 million by 2040. As such, the demand
for retirement homes or villages will likely
increase in the coming years.
Nevertheless, retirement homes have
always carried a stigma associated to
loneliness, abandonment, loss of
independence, and pitiful or patronising for
the elderly, making such homes the last
choice for many senior citizens. These
stigmas are inflated even in Asian
cultures such as Malaysia that places high
focus on filial piety, where the younger
generation is expected to care for the
elderly.
Co-helping one another
However, living in a retirement home
does not always have to carry such stigma.
Several countries such as Japan, the US and
the Netherlands have been testing out in
small scale the concept of intergenerational
care since the 1970s.
Intergenerational care works by
incorporating pre-schools or day care with
retirement homes. The idea arose because
of the increase of the elderly who are living
Intergenerational care works
by incorporating pre-schools
or day care with retirement
homes. The idea arose
because of the increase of
the elderly who are living
alone as more children
are living away from their
grandparents.
alone as more children are living away
from their grandparents. The combination
of these two groups of people will provide
the relationship needs generally gained
through intergenerational families who live
together.
According to a 2017 article by American
magazine The Atlantic, titled The Preschool
inside a Nursing Home, numerous studies
have linked social interaction with
decreased loneliness, delayed mental
decline, lower blood pressure, and reduced
risk of disease and death in elders.
Socialising across generations has also been
Establishing intergenerational contact is said to yield positive results in how well children
perceive and respond to the elderly.
shown to increase the amount of smiling
and conversation among older adults.
This is a particularly positive progress as
a 2012 study by the University of California
San Francisco reported 43% of seniors feel
lonely, and identifying as a person feeling
lonely comes with a 59% higher risk of
declining health and a 45% higher risk of
death.
The Atlantic article adds that studies have
also suggested children who have early
contact with older people are less likely to
view them as incompetent and less likely to
exhibit ageism, which is the prejudice or
discrimination on the grounds of a person’s
age.
These intergenerational interactions also
enhance children’s social and personal
development, making them prone to be
more comfortable around those with
disabilities and impairments of all kinds
than their peers who lack such experiences.
Much more to learn
Despite the advantages of
intergenerational care, Malaysia has not
been able to hop on the bandwagon in
supporting the experiences of our elderly in
retirement homes. This is because there are
still many issues and challenges the
Malaysian retirement home system has to
iron out before it is able to implement new
changes.
A 2014 study by Universiti Sains Islam
Malaysia, Challenges in managing elderly care
centres in Malaysia, cites financial,
infrastructure, professionalism, collaboration
and support, living arrangements, different
socio-cultural backgrounds and emotional
and psychological needs of the elderly
people to be challenges that still need to be
dealt with in the country’s retirement homes.
> SEE NEXT PAGE

Keep in shape
and stay healthy
LOOKING for a meal replacement to keep suitable for vegetarians. If you are on weight
your body in shape or a wholesome drink to management, you may replace one or two of
nourish your day? Meal Shape, an all-in-one your meals with Meal Shape. If you want to
healthy drink mix with the goodness of 24 maintain your overall health instead, you
types of multigrains, OatS’elect Beta Glucan may take it as a healthy snack between
and cactus fruit extract that help you get in meals.
shape and nourish your body. Total Image Meal Shape is available at all
Total Image Meal Shape is specially leading pharmacies nationwide retailing at
formulated with cactus fruit extract, which is RM89 for 25 servings. It can be easily
clinically proven to reduce water retention. prepared by mixing two scoops (≈30g) of
In a human clinical study, it showed that a Meal Shape with 150ml of warm water. It is
daily dose of 2g of cactus fruit extract helped advisable to consume Meal Shape for three
eliminate 27% more excess water. months, along with practising a balanced
It is undeniable that food cravings can diet and regular exercise, to see results.
diminish weight loss efforts. Total Image
Meal Shape contains OatS’elect Beta Glucan, n For more information, call 03-2276 1366,
which helps improve satiety and keeps you email info@totalimage.com.my or visit the
full for longer to keep cravings at bay. Facebook page (TotalImageMalaysia) and
OatS’elect Beta Glucan is extracted via a Instagram account (totalimagemy).
clean process, giving you a healthier choice.
Other than that, OatS’elect Beta Glucan can
help boost heart health by absorbing “bad”
cholesterol and fat from the body.
A wholesome drink is not complete
without the goodness of multigrain. Total
Image Meal Shape contains 24 types of
grains that provide important nutrients to
help you stay healthy and alert at all times.
These grains, including brown rice, green
pea, red bean, barley and more, are excellent
sources of nutrients that help improve your
general well-being.
In addition, Total Image Meal Shape
contains the benefits of inulin and isolated
soy protein. Inulin is prebiotic that helps
maintain a good intestinal environment to
improve nutrients absorption, while isolated
soy protein contains high-quality plant
protein with essential amino acids needed
for growth and the building and repair of
body tissues.
Total Image Meal Shape is formulated
with all-natural ingredients with no artificial
colours, flavours or preservatives, and is
THE STAR, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2020 Your Health 7

Friendly
bacteria and
the amazing gut
HOW much do you know about your
intestines? You will be surprised to learn
that at any one time, you have about 100
trillion bacteria inside your digestive tract,
particularly in your intestines. These trillions
of bacteria are made up of about 500
different species, which began settling into
your body from the day you were born.
Most of these bacteria perform beneficial
functions, such as digesting food, protecting
against infection and influencing a few
physiological processes in the body. The
remainder of the bacteria may be either
unbeneficial or potentially harmful, the
second of which are sometimes referred to
as “bad” bacteria.
Good versus bad: Your digestive
combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus
Rosell-52 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Rosell-11 helps restore the balance of gut
microbiota.
One way to boost our good bacteria
count is to ingest probiotics via food or
supplements. Probiotics are live bacteria that
help re-establish a healthy bacterial balance
in the intestines. As more probiotic products
appear on the market today, it is important
to ensure that you are choosing a product
that provides the best benefits.
Choose wisely. Are your
probiotics getting through?
The first criterion of a good probiotic
product is the strain of bacteria used. It
Maintaining your balance of gut microbiota is a good way to preserve overall health.
Biogrow Probiotics: Your choice
of probiotics for gut health
Biogrow Probiotics provides highly stable
microencapsulated strains made from
patented Probiocap Microencapsulation
Technology from Institute Rosell-Lallemand,
Canada that ensures the probiotics are
resistant to gastric acid and bile salts and
have a better survival rate.
It consists of three different strains (L.
acidophilus Rosell-52, L. rhamnosus Rosell-11
and B. longum Rosell-175), and each strain is
supported by scientific studies to ensure
consumers get the right probiotics that is
Remember, only live probiotics confer
benefits to us, not the dead ones.
This article is brought to you by Legosan
(Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
n Get Biogrow Probiotics now for better
gut health. It is available at all leading
pharmacies nationwide. For more
information, call 03-7956 2220 (Monday
to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or visit www.
biogrow.com.my
This is a supplement product
advertisement.

system is counting on you
The balance of good and bad bacteria in
the gut must be maintained in a delicate
balance. This ratio between the good
bacteria and other bacteria becomes one of
the critical factors determining not only your
digestive health, but also your overall health.
Our environment greatly influences this
balance, and a poor diet, stress, medications
and an unhealthy lifestyle can disrupt it.
When that happens, a person is likely to
experience digestive health problems, such
as bloating, intestinal pain, constipation and
diarrhoea.
On the other hand, a healthy, balanced
environment in the gut can ensure optimal
health. For instance, a 1994 study titled
Lactobacilli in the treatment of dyspepsia due
to dysmicrobia of various causes published in
Vnitrni Lekarstvi suggests that the
should be clinically documented in truly safe and beneficial to the gut health. KKLIU No.0013/2020
published clinical studies, safe to be
consumed, able to withstand the gastric
acid and bile salts during the digestive
process, and able to attach to the intestinal
lining.
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are the
two groups of bacteria commonly used in
probiotic products, of which a few strains
have been scientifically tested to be
beneficial. The bacteria must be alive or
viable and resistant to gastric acid and bile
salt to have a better survival rate, in order to
perform their beneficial functions after they
have been consumed.
Probiotics that contain highly stable
microencapsulated strains with the right
stabilisation processes during packaging and
transportation will protect the bacteria
against light, heat, humidity and moisture
breakdown.

Establishing
intergeneratonal
contact is said to
yield positive
results in how well
children perceive
and respond to
the elderly.

Building self-confidence
> FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
However, this does not mean we should
give up hope that our country’s elderly can
one day experience a well-rounded and
well-socialised environment. Our
neighbours Singapore are trying out this
model with the St Joseph’s Home for the
Aged and Hospice, which also includes an
infant and childcare centre, and a common
space provided for the two generations to
interact with each other.
Hence, it is not impossible for Malaysia to
see this concept reaching our shores as
awareness on the advantages of
intergenerational care expands throughout
the globe. Marc Freedman’s article, What’s
a nursing home combined with a childcare
center? A hopeful model for the future of
aging, on the TED website is hopeful for the
success of this concept.
He says, “The idea is to use community
design to re-create natural opportunities for
cross-generational support — to move from
programme to proximity, from concept to
reality. The conscious effort is all the more
striking in an Asian society where
interaction and care between young and
old, especially in families, occurred
naturally for much of its history. But in our
fast-paced, highly mobile, globally-oriented
21st-century world, there’s a need to find
new ways to cultivate these time-honoured
values.”
8 Your Health
An unhappy gut brews trouble
ANITA was at work when she received a call
from her mother. It was about Aiden, her
five-year-old son. Aiden had hit another
child in school again. In fact, that was the
third time that month that Aiden had gotten
into trouble in school.
Aiden is a bright little boy. However, even
Anita has to admit that his behaviour is
taking a toll. Anita is stressed and even her
mother who takes care of Aiden during the
day is losing patience, not least because she
has troubles of her own – she is facing early
signs of Parkinson’s disease.
When a child acts out, has a meltdown or
is naughty for some reason, it does not
automatically spell poor parenting or bad
behaviour. As children may lack the ability
to verbalise their feelings, any form of stress
experienced is usually expressed through
their moods and behaviours.
Scientists have now found that there lies a
second brain, or “emotion centre”, located
within the gut, capable of sensing emotions
and feelings, therefore influencing our
thoughts, feelings, moods and behaviours.
The gut-brain connection
Our gut and our brain have more in
common than we previously thought. It has
long been known that one feels in his gut
influences how he feels in his brain. For
instance, he can get very angry when
hungry, or absolutely happy and sated after
a good meal.
In 2019, a research team led by Prof Tsai
Ying-Chieh from the National Yang-Ming
University in Taiwan published a
groundbreaking study in Nutrients outlining
the positive brain benefits of a specific strain
of gut-brain probiotics or psychobiotics from
the Lactobacillus plantarum family titled
Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 on
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in
Specific probiotic strains have been indicated in the improvement of symptoms in conditions
such as ASD and Parkinson’s.
Taiwan: A Randomized, Double-Blind,
Placebo-Controlled Trial. It was the first
clinically proven, strain-specific gut-brain
probiotics discovered in Asia.
Study on autism and
hyperactivity
Prof Tsai’s research saw the use of a
patented strain of Lactobacillus plantarum
among children with autism spectrum
disorder (ASD). According to the World
Health Organization, it is estimated that one
in 160 children worldwide suffer from ASD.
More recent statistics in the United States
now puts that ratio closer to one in 59
children.
While ASD has been so prevalent, there
has been no effective cure to date. As such,
early intervention has been the main
treatment. The neurotransmitter serotonin
has been implicated in autism where some
studies point to low serotonin levels in the
brains of autistic people.
Prof Tsai’s research team discovered that
the consumption of this specific strain of
Lactobacillus plantarum resulted in
improvements in sociability and restrictive,
repetitive behaviours (two core ASD
symptoms), as well as ASD-related symptoms
such as hyperactivity, anxiety and defiance.
Study on Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s disease affects nerve cells in
THE STAR, TUESDAY 24 MARCH 2020
When a child acts out, has
a meltdown or is naughty
for some reason, it does
not automatically spell poor
parenting or bad behaviour.
As children may lack the
ability to verbalise their
feelings, any form of stress
experienced is usually
expressed through their
moods and behaviours.
the brain that produce dopamine. This
disorder causes gradual loss of muscle
control. When the specific strain of
Lactobacillus plantarum was studied in a
Parkinson’s model, it resulted in better
balance and coordination besides
imparting a protective effect on dopamine-
producing neurons.
This strain of gut-brain probiotics
developed by Prof Tsai and his team was
awarded the Probiotic Product of the Year
prize at the 2018 NutraIngredients-Asia
Awards. It is now available as a dietary
supplement in more than 29 countries
worldwide including Malaysia.
This article is brought to you by the
Nuvaceuticals Division of Nuvanta Sdn
Bhd.
n For more information, call 03-5636
3758/1300 881 712 or email pharmacist@
nuvanta.com