understanding-probiotics

UnderstandingPROBIOTICSWhatareprobiotics?Probioticsaregenerallydefinedaslivemicrobes(extremelysmalllivingthingsthatcanonlybeseenwithamicroscope)which,whentakeninadequateamounts,conferahealthbenefittothepersontakingthem.Inplainlanguage,probioticsare“goodmicrobes.”Thesefriendlymicrobeshelpusdigestfood,maintainhealthandfightdisease.Whilemanypeopleuseprobioticsfortheirgeneralhealthbenefits,manyothersarelookingtouseprobioticstotreatdigestivedisordersandotherailments.Scientificresearchinprobioticshasexplodedinthepast20years.Researchhasshownthesefriendlymicrobescanbeusedtopreventandtreatdisease–particularlyinourgut.Evenostensiblyhealthypeoplemaybenefitfromprobioticswhichcanimprovethehealthofyourdigestivesystemandreducethefrequencyofoccasionaldigestivediscomfortsuchasbloating,gas,cramps,diarrheaandconstipation.Scientistsarediscoveringnewprobioticseveryday.ThetwomostcommongroupsofmicrobesusedtomakeprobioticsforhumanuseareLactobacillusandBifidobacterium.Yeast,Saccharomycesboulardii,andsomeE.colistrainsareusedasprobioticsaswell.Probioticsareavailableforouruseindietarysupplements(capsules,tablets,powdersordrops)andinsomefoodsincludingfortifiedyogurtsandfermentedmilkproducts.Oneadvantageofproperlyformulated,freeze-driedprobioticsupplementsisthattheydon’tneedtoberefrigeratedtoremaineffectiveandhavelongershelflivesthanprobioticsineitheryogurtorfermentedmilk.Itisimportanttonotethatnotallprobioticsarethesame.Therearevariationsinprobioticstrainsandhowtheywork.Theformulation,ormanufacturingprocess,oftheprobioticproductiscritical.Thereneedstobeahighenoughconcentrationoftheprobiotictohaveabeneficialhealtheffectandtheproductmustbetestedtoconfirmthatthebacteriaremaineffectivethroughitsshelflife.Inaddition,differentstrainsofprobioticshavedifferenteffects,soitisimportanttochoosetherighttypeofprobioticintherightdoseanddurationrecommendedforthespecificailmentorsymptomsyouwanttorelieve.Ifyouwanttofindaprobiotictotreataspecificailment,youneedtoconsultahealthcareprofessionaltobesuretheprobioticyouchosehasbeenproventobeeffectivefortheconditiontheywishtotreat.Approvedprobioticsingestedthroughfoodorsupplementshavebeengenerallydeterminedtobeverysafe.However,probioticsarenotmedicine.Consideredfoodsornaturalhealthproductsratherthandrugs,probioticsaren’tsubjecttothesameregulationsthatgovernprescriptionmedications.Howdoprobioticswork?Probioticsworkmainlybystimulatingthebody’sintestinalandimmunesystemandbydisplacingharmfulbacteriathatmightotherwisecausedisease.Wenowknowthatprobioticscanindeedprovidehealthbenefits.Specificdigestivebenefitsofprobioticsmayinclude:• Reducingtheseverityanddurationofsometypesofdiarrhea(includingtravellers’diarrheaandantibiotic-associateddiarrhea)•Treatingconstipationandabdominalbloating•Improvingthesymptomsofirritablebowelsyndrome(IBS)•Preventingandtreatingpouchitis(inflammationoftheinternalpouchinpatientswhohavepartoftheircolonremoved)•ImprovingsymptomsofcolicinbreastfedinfantsTheabovedigestivedisordershavebeenproventorespond:•Preventingbadbacteriafromgrowingandreplicatingintheintestinaltract,attachingtotheliningoftheintestineandcausingdisease•Blockingtheuptakeofbadbacteriabyimprovingtheabilityoftheintestinalmucosalbarriertoresistinfection•EnhancingtheabilityoftheimmunesystemintheintestinaltractandinthebodyasawholetofightoffanyinvasionofbadbacteriathatmightoccurThedifferencesbetweenprobiotics,prebioticsandsynbioticsProbioticscontainfriendlylivingmicrobes,whereasprebioticsdonot. Prebiotics(sometimescalledfermentablefibre)containnon-digestiblefoodparticlesthatsupportthegrowthoffriendlymicrobesalreadylivinginyourintestines.Goodsourcesofprebioticsincludebananas,berries,flax,onion,garlic,artichokes,leeks,legumes,andwholegrains.Synbioticscombinebothaprobioticandaprebiotic.Probiotics,diversityandthehumanmicrobiomeThehumanmicrobiomeisthecollectionofmicrobesthatliveinandonthehumanbody.Wearemadeupofmanymorebacterialcellsthanhumancells.Incredibly,themicrobesinourbodiesoutnumberourowncellsbyaratioofabout10to1.Manyofthesemicrobesliveinthegastrointestinaltract,whichcontainsabout100,000billionbacteriafrommorethan400differentspeciesand60percentofthebody’simmunecells.Thedigestivetractissterile,withrelativelyfewmicrobes,untilafterbirth.Theinitialcolonizationoftheintestinesbybacteriaisaffectedbyhowababyisdelivered,diet,hygiene,infectionsandmedications,suchasantibiotics.Microbialdiversityisimportantforthedevelopmentoftheinfant’sdigestivetractandmaturingoftheimmunesystem.Bydiversitywemeanmanydifferenttypesofmicrobes.After1year,thegutmicrobiomeisrelativelystablein