What you should know about probiotics
What is a probiotic?
Probiotics are living microorganisms that can have beneficial effects on or inside your body. Every human body contains trillions of microorganisms that live alongside us and contribute to our bodily processes and wellness. Not all microorganisms that we carry are beneficial; some might be dangerous. Beneficial microorganisms, such as probiotics, help reduce the harmful ones.
Probiotic supplements include specific and useful bacteria to supplement the populations already present in your body. Many probiotics are consumed as pills that are intended to reach the digestive tract. Others are topical treatments that may be applied to the skin or mucous membranes of internal body cavities like the nose or genitals. All of these are typical habitats for helpful microorganisms.
Probiotics are living bacteria that enhance health when ingested. They can be found in fermented foods such as yogurt, supplements, and cosmetic products. Although many people consider bacteria and other microbes as dangerous "microbes," many are really useful. Some bacteria assist to digest food, eliminate harmful cells, and make vitamins. Many of the bacteria in probiotic supplements are same or similar to those found naturally in our bodies.
What types of microorganisms are found in probiotics?
Probiotics can contain several sorts of bacteria. The most frequent bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Other bacteria, including yeasts like Saccharomyces boulardii, can also be utilized as probiotics.
Different probiotics may provide different benefits. For example, just because one strain of Lactobacillus helps prevent disease does not mean that another strain or any of the Bifidobacterium probiotics will do the same.
Are prebiotics the same as probiotics?
No, prebiotics are not the same as probiotics. Prebiotics are indigestible food ingredients that specifically promote the activity or growth of advantageous microbes.
What are synbiotics?
Products containing both probiotics and prebiotics are referred to as synbiotics.
How might probiotics work?
Different types of probiotics may function differently and have varying impacts on the body, such as:
1. Helps in the maintenance of a healthy microbial community within your body or assists in the restoration of a disturbed microbial community.
Probiotics include beneficial bacteria. These are live microorganisms that can have health benefits when consumed, thought to be due to probiotics' ability to restore the natural balance of gut bacteria.
An imbalance is defined as an excess of pathogenic bacteria relative to good microorganisms. This can happen as a result of sickness, medicines like antibiotics, an unhealthy diet, and more. Digestion issues, allergies, mental health issues, obesity, and other issues might result from this problem.
Probiotics are frequently used as supplements or found in fermented foods. They also seem to be safe for the majority of people.
2. They are able to create compounds with advantageous properties.
3. The immune system's reaction to them may also be impacted.
What has science demonstrated the efficacy of probiotics on?
Probiotics have been the subject of much research, but there is still much to learn about their safety and efficacy in treating a range of medical disorders.
Probiotics for a range of health conditions, such as ulcerative colitis induction and maintenance of remission, constipation, bloating, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and diarrheas other than those brought on by antibiotics (e.g., diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile). Treatments for newborn colic, periodontal disease, tooth decay, bad breath, asthma, allergies, skin dermatitis, respiratory infections, urogenital infections, vaginal dryness, improvement of menopause symptoms, etc.
Supplemental probiotics help with certain mental health issues.
An increasing amount of research relates mental and emotional well-being to gut health.
Studies on humans and animals have demonstrated that probiotic supplementation can help with a variety of mental health issues.
Supplementing with Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains for one to two months can help anxiety, sadness, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and memory, according to an analysis of human research from thirteen credible sources.
Another study that tracked 70 chemical workers for six weeks found improvements for overall health, stress, anxiety, and depression in those who took one probiotic capsule or 100 grams of probiotic yogurt daily.
Additionally, it has been shown to offer benefits in a trial including forty patients with depression.
Consumption of probiotic supplements for 8 weeks compared to people who did not consume probiotics, has reduced the level of depression and decreased the level of C-reactive protein (indicator of inflammation) and hormones such as insulin.
Certain strains of probiotics can help your heart health
Probiotics may help keep your heart healthy by lowering LDL and blood pressure.
Some lactic acid producing bacteria may reduce cholesterol by breaking down bile in the intestine. Bile is a natural fluid made mostly of cholesterol that aids in digestion. By breaking down bile, probiotics can prevent it from being reabsorbed in the gut, where it can enter the blood as cholesterol.
Can probiotics be harmful?
Probiotics have a long history of safe use, especially in healthy people.
But the risk of harmful effects of probiotics is higher in people with severe diseases or weak immune system. When probiotics are considered for high-risk individuals, such as premature infants or critically ill hospital patients, the potential risks of probiotics must be carefully weighed against their benefits. Cases of severe or fatal infections have been reported in premature infants given probiotics, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned health care providers about this risk.
References
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-time-to-take-probiotics#usefulness
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics-what-you-need-to-know