Patent ID: 7029670

Claim:
A method for controlling intestinal function, wherein the control is increased frequency of defecation and amount of feces, comprising the step of administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of an agent comprising live bacterial cells of a strain belonging to Lactobacillus helveticus , wherein the minimum growth inhibitory concentration of dry solid bile for said strain is at least 0.8% as determined by a bile acid resistivity test for said strain, wherein said strain has an adhesiveness of 2.8×10 6 cells/well or more to a monolayer culture of Caco-2 cells in a cylindrical well having a bottom surface area of 1.8 cm 2 in an intestinal tract epithelium cell adhesion test, and wherein said strain has a fecal recovery in humans of 4.0×10 7 cells or more following administration of the strain at a dose of 1.0×10 11 cells.