The intestine is a delicate ecosystem that harbors organisms known as living probiotics. Probiotics are useful microbes that promote good health , helping with many different processes in the human body.
They are probably best known for their contribution to intestinal health and digestion. Probiotics also support gastrointestinal health, [ 1 ] help the immune system and perform other specialized tasks - each probiotic strain serves a unique purpose. That's why the best probiotic supplements offer a combination of several probiotic strains to promote wellness from multiple angles. Let's take a look at the benefits offered by Enterococcus faecium, a multitasking strain that is worth considering when looking for a probiotic formula.
What is Enterococcus faecium?
Enterococcus is a large genus of bacteria to which the species Enterococcus faecium belongs. This bacterial species is gram-positive, spherical and is often found in pairs or chains, rather than groups. [ 2 ] Mammals, including humans, generally have Enterococcus colonies in and on their bodies, especially in the gastrointestinal tract and on the skin. Some of the species of this genus are pathogenic.
Fortunately, Enterococcus faecium is not one of them. This species falls into the group of lactic acid bacteria. It may seem confusing to people who regularly take probiotics that Enterococcus faecium does not belong to the genus Lactobacillus, a group of probiotic bacteria commonly found in probiotic supplements. The group of lactic acid bacteria is a group of bacteria to which numerous species belong. These bacteria are normally beneficial and so called due to the lactic acid they produce as a metabolic byproduct of fermentation. [ 3 ]
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Healthy Benefits of Enterococcus faecium
One of the main benefits of including Enterococcus faecium in probiotic formulas is that it is specifically adapted to survive the digestive process and thrive in the intestine. Ironically, Enterococcus faecium is added to livestock feed instead of pharmaceutical antibiotics as a substitute for antibiotics to promote animal welfare. Like other probiotics, Enterococcus faecium promotes a balanced intestinal environment by competing for resources that would otherwise be consumed by harmful organisms and used to grow, which could lead to disease.
Enterococcus faecium also competes with harmful organisms for adhesion sites: areas on the surface of cells to which other cells and molecules can attach. [ 2 ] Harmful microorganisms explode these sites and infect healthy human cells. Probiotic bacteria protect these sites by occupying this position and establishing a protective barrier in the stomach.
The results of animal research indicate that the probiotic benefits of Enterococcus faecium include the stimulation of cellular immune function, improve the regulation of cell proliferation and increase the ability to burn fat. [ 2 ] [ 4 ] These studies have promising applications for human health, but more research is required.
Enterococcus faecium in Food Technology
Without limiting itself to animal agriculture, Enterococcus faecium also has a place in the food biotechnology industry. The presence of bacteria in certain foods helps develop flavors and aromas. [ 5 ] In the production of cheese, Enterococcus faecium reduces the risk of listeria growth, which makes it a good candidate for a possible co-culture in food fermentation processes. [ 6 ]
The Safety of the Different Strains of Enterococcus faecium
If you type Enterococcus faecium in a search engine and click on a random search result, you will inevitably see some caution messages. However, it is important to bear in mind that there are variants or strains, within each bacterial species, something that may not be immediately clear when doing a superficial investigation. Certain strains within a microbial species may be virulent, [ 7 ] while others may be benign or beneficial. That is the case of Enterococcus faecium. Enterococcus faecium strains used in today's probiotic supplements are the nonpathogenic strains that provide health benefits.
The Best Sources for the Probiotics of Enterococcus faecium
If you are considering taking advantage of the benefits of Enterococcus faecium, you may be curious to know where you can find it. Fermented products such as raw milk cheese, [ 6 ] kefir and kombucha contain this healthy probiotic. [ 2 ] These rich sources of probiotics may not be available in your region or may be a bit too exotic for your taste. However, probiotic supplements that include Enterococcus faecium are a fantastic and easy way to help promote balance in the intestine. We have included this beneficial strain in our Floratrex ™ probiotic supplement, an advanced blend of 23 probiotics and prebiotics, to keep your digestive tract healthy and balanced. It is perfect for anyone who is trying to re-establish their bowel, enjoy better intestinal health or foster a healthy balance of microflora.
Have you tried probiotics? Enterococcus faecium is a probiotic with which you are familiar? Tell us your experience in the comments!
Why does our doctor prescribe antibiotics to supplement the treatment with probiotics?
Probiotics are living microorganisms that when given in adequate amounts confer a benefit to the health of the person who ingests them. The immune system protects us from foreign substances for our organism, often pathogenic, and probiotics will help us to combat these pathogens especially at the level of the digestive tract.
Probiotics stabilize bacterial flora and increase resistance to pathogens by enhancing and activating our defenses. In addition, they produce substances that help fight pathogenic bacteria and produce digestive enzymes.
The species most used as probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Lactobacillus are BAL (lactic acid producing bacteria), produce lactic acid from carbohydrates which facilitates the fermentation of food. Some species of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria are normal residents or that frequently transit through the human digestive apparatus.
In general, probiotics are giving good results in improving intestinal transit and stimulation of the immune system. Each probiotic needs a particular concentration to achieve the desired effect and each probiotic or probiotic specific strain serves a particular treatment.
In the case of associating probiotics with antibiotic treatment, there are on the market envelopes that take them once a day, directly in the mouth or in a glass of water or other liquid that is not hot will help to alleviate the adverse effects of antibiotics on our intestinal flora.