Due to the important advances made in the last 20 years in the field of nutrition, there is a change in the concept of nutrition and with it in the role of diet, going from providing the necessary nutrients to the idea that Diet may contain foods that, in addition to nourishing, specifically promote health. Thus the concept of "Functional Food" arises, this can be a natural food, a food to which a component has been added, eliminated or modified by biotechnological means, which in addition to providing the recommended nutrients, exerts beneficial effects on one or more functions of the organism, promoting health and reducing the risk of disease. One of the most prominent subgroups within functional foods is the PROBIOTICS .
The term "probiotic" was first introduced in 1965 by Lilly and Stillwell; unlike antibiotics, probiotic was defined as that factor of microbiological origin that stimulates the growth of other organisms. In 1989, Roy Fuller emphasized the viability requirement for probiotics and introduced the idea that they have a beneficial effect for the host.
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What are Probiotics?
According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) "are living (harmless) microorganisms that administered in an adequate amount and form confer a benefit to the health of the host . " They are mainly lactic bacteria belonging to the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium , they are known as BAL (Lactic Acid Bacteria), for their ability to convert carbohydrates into lactic acid. The three most commonly used species are: Lactobacillus acidophilus , Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium spp . They can also be yeast Saccharomyces boulard and some species of Escherichia Coli and Bacilli .
These bacteria are screened, evaluating their ability to resist the acid pH of the stomach, the digestive enzymes and bile salts of the intestine, and to adhere to the mucus or intestinal epithelial cells that favor their survival and permanence in the digestive tract.
The most common forms for the administration of probiotics are:
- NATURAL FOODS: they are found naturally in everyday foods such as fermented milk products (yogurt, milk, cheese), in fermented vegetables (olives, sauerkraut, soybeans and cereals), meat products and fermented fish and artisanal alcoholic beverages.
- FOODS WITH ADDED PROBIOTICS: Probiotic bacteria are added for the preparation of certain foods. It is a main requirement that these microorganisms remain viable and active in the food and during the gastrointestinal passage to guarantee its effect on the host.
- DIETETIC SUPPLEMENTS: they contain probiotics in the form of capsules or powder. It is not a medicine and its distribution is governed by the laws of food.
- MEDICINAL PRODUCTS OR BIOTERAPEUTIC AGENTS: it is a probiotic with approved therapeutic effect, ie it is a medicine.
It is very common to find tablets, capsules and sachets containing microorganisms in lyophilized form on the market. It is important to emphasize that once ingested, they survive in the digestive tract of the consumer where they regulate the intestinal microbiota and exert beneficial effects for their health.
A probiotic strain is identified by its genus, species, and an alpha-numeric designation. The scientific community has agreed on a nomenclature for microorganisms-for example, Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG
- GENDER SPECIES DESIGNATION OF THE CEPA
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG
- Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001
Commercialization and commercial names are not regulated, and companies can name their probiotic products as they want-for example, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, LGG.
While there is a scientific consensus, there is no legal definition of the term "probiotic". The minimum criteria that should include an adequate description of a probiotic product are the following:
- Identification of genus and species, nomenclature that matches the scientifically recognized names.
- Be alive in the product.
- Administer in adequate doses, which should be based on the induction of the declared physiological effect.
- Have been shown to be effective in controlled studies in humans.
- Be innocuous for the use for which they would be intended.
Some examples that are found in the market:
- Fermented milk: some contain Lactobacillus casei defensis DN 114001 with a concentration of 108 CFU / ml. It decreases the duration of diarrhea, helps balance the intestinal flora and promotes the absorption of nutrients, it also helps to improve the immune response. (UFC: colony forming units).
- Yoghurts: some are found that contain Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium with a concentration of 107 CFU / ml each. These favor a better use of nutrients and modulate the intestinal flora. Others, for example, contain Bifidobacterium animalis DN 173010 (108 CFU / ml), which contribute to the balance of the intestinal flora by regulating intestinal transit.
How do probiotics work?
Each individual harbors 100,000 million microorganisms of 400 species, mostly bacterial. More than 95% live in the digestive tract, especially in the colon. It is the so-called intestinal flora . In the maternal womb, the fetus lives in a sterile environment, without germs and in its intestine there is a total absence of bacterial agents. The concentration of bacteria in the intestine increases as the baby grows from the milk to the mixed feed. With growth the bacterial flora stabilizes. Throughout our lives, depending on the type of food we adopt and various intestinal conditions, the bacterial population will undergo changes in both quantity and quality. These bacteria that form the intestinal microbiota, proliferate inside the large intestine and ferment different elements producing beneficial substances for health, intervene in the normal development of the immune system and in the regulation of the body's response to pathogens. The function of the intestinal microbiota is to achieve good digestion, break down food and strengthen the immune system. Many times this function of the microbiota can be altered by various modifications, this is where the "probiotics" play a very important role acting at the level of the digestive tube stabilizing the composition of the bacterial flora and increasing the resistance of the organism against pathogens, improving and activating the defenses producing vitamins and digestive enzymes.
Dosage
The necessary dose of probiotics varies a lot depending on the strain and the product. While many over-the-counter products manage a range of 1-10 billion CFU per dose, some products have been shown to be effective at lower levels, while others require many more. It is not possible to establish a general dose necessary for probiotics; the dosage should be based on human studies that show a health benefit.
Probiotics and Health
The intention of using probiotics is to help the intestinal flora that appears naturally in the human body. Some probiotic preparations have been used to prevent diarrhea caused by antibiotics or as part of the treatment of dysbiosis linked to antibiotics. There are studies that have documented the effects of probiotics in a series of gastrointestinal and extraintestinal disorders, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), vaginal infections, and as an immune booster. Some probiotics have been shown to increase the survival of preterm infants. Probiotics have also been investigated in relation to atopic eczema and the complications of liver cirrhosis.
In general, the greatest clinical evidence for probiotics is linked to its use in the improvement of intestinal health and the stimulation of immune function. The testing or use of probiotics in other pathological indications is only acceptable after the approval of an independent ethics committee.
What are Prebiotics?
Another alternative aimed at the functional improvement of foods through the modulation of the intestinal flora are the "prebiotics" . They are food substances, not digestible, that selectively nourish a group of microorganisms already existing in the intestine of the individual. They favor the multiplication of beneficial bacteria rather than harmful ones. That is, they are the fundamental substrate (the "food") of the probiotic bacteria.
Most prebiotics are used as ingredients in foods such as cookies, cereals, chocolates, creams and dairy products. They are characterized by being large molecules that can not be digested by the digestive enzymes of the upper gastrointestinal tract, reaching the large intestine where they are degraded by the bacterial microbiota.
The most known or commonly used are:
- Oligofructose
- Inulin
- Galacto-oligosaccharides
- Lactulose
Lactulose favors the development of lactobacilli, and inulin and galacto and oligofructose favor the development of bifidobacteria.
Some examples:
- Milk powder: some contain 1.8 grams of dietary fiber (oligosaccharide glucose) per serving (1 glass of 200 ml). It helps regularize intestinal function. Others, 2 grams of soluble fiber (inulin, FOS and polydextrose). It helps to improve the composition of the intestinal flora, favors a better absorption of calcium.
- Cereal bar: one example found in the market contains 3.3 grams of dietary fiber and 1.6 grams of polydextrose. It is a source of fiber.
Symbiotic
The combination of prebiotics with probiotics is defined as "symbiotic" . A synergic effect between both has been described, that is, the prebiotics can stimulate the growth of specific strains and therefore contribute to the installation of a specific bacterial microbiota with beneficial effects for health.
Examples of symbiotic that are presented in the market:
- Yogurt: with 108 CFU / ml Bifidobacterium animalis DN 173010 and prebiotic FOS (inulin). It helps the balance of the flora, reducing the time of intestinal transit.
- Fermented milk: with Lactobacillus casei CRL431, Lactobacillus acidophilus CRL 730 (jonhsonii) and natural Fructans (Inulin-FOS). It decreases the duration of persistent diarrhea, helps to prevent osteosporosis, reduces symptoms of lactose intolerance, stimulates the immune system, among others.