Lactobacteria reside in the intestines and are known as "friendly" or "beneficial" bacteria. They are essential not just for health, but for life itself. They are vital for the assimilation of vitamins, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and the manufacture of B-Vitamins, Vitamin K, and assorted amino acids. A healthy immune system is strongly linked to an abundant population of these beneficial bacteria. They also promote bulky, well-lubricated stools, increased frequency and quantity of bowel movements, and help to counteract harmful bacteria and yeasts in the intestinal tract.

Many factors contribute to the depletion of beneficial bacteria - use of antibiotics, chlorinated and/or fluoridated water, stress, and poor diet, are just a few.  Most people today suffer from this depletion and have ever experienced the state of health possible when a truly abundant population of beneficial bacteria is present.

These bacteria, however, are difficult to implant from external sources. Good supplements are available, but are usually expensive and / or time consuming to make at home. And although desirable results may be gotten from a good supplement, they are usually temporary and stop when the supplementation is discontinued because of poor implantation. It may take several months or even a year of daily supplementation before a good implantation is obtained.

Psyllium is used in virtually all intestinal cleansing programs and many other products intended to benefit the bowels because it is highly effective at removing stagnant waste material and has a regulatory effect on bowel activity.  But taking psyllium seed daily for two to three months markedly depletes the beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract. Even taking supplements along with the psyllium may not avoid this depletion because the older, adapted bacteria will have been removed while the newer, supplemented bacteria has yet to implant. Thus it is better to have the existing beneficial bacteria that are already adapted and implanted in the intestinal tract multiply to large numbers than to use supplementation.