Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Acidophilus
Introduction
Acidophilus is a general name for a group of probiotics, often added to milk or sold as a capsule, which contains one or more of the following bacteria which aid in digestion: –
- Lactobacillus acidophilus (A)
- Lactobacillus casei (C)
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus (L)
- Bifidobacterium bifidum (B)
- Streptococcus thermophilus
Only L. acidophilus is the true acidophilus strain, but many producers (mainly in the US) use it as a more generic name for mixtures of bacteria, one of which is L. acidophilus.
Acidophilus can be found in some quality yogurts and other traditional foods naturally.
See the individual bacteria and the link on probiotics for more detailed information.