It has long been known that taking probiotics to make these bacteria proliferate helps prevent various ailments. Now there is evidence that these microorganisms are more important to our health than we ever imagined.
The intake of probiotic products increases the body's immune response to the entry of pathogens. One of the beneficial effects attributed to probiotics is that their bacteria ( lactobacilli ) compete with pathogenic bacteria, preventing or hindering their installation in the intestine.
The colon is one of the metabolically active organs of the human body, and plays a very important role in nutrition and health. Among the different components of the colonic microflora are some bacteria ( bifidobacteria and lactobacilli ) that prevent the growth of those harmful to human health and, therefore, there is currently a great interest in improving the development of those that are beneficial, thus decreasing the growth of potentially pathogenic.
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Probiotics: They are resident bacteria that form colonies in the gastrointestinal tract, vaginal and in the mouth. These " friendly " bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium infantis are our body's first line of defense against potentially harmful microorganisms that are inhaled or ingested. (Source Consulted: probioticos.com.ar)
Probiotic bacteria
In the digestive tract they host about 400 different types of microorganisms. Some of them, like the bacterium Lactobacillus acidophillus, for example, are good because they help digest food and thus benefit from its nutrients. Others, such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella are pathogenic because they cause toxicity and diarrhea.
In a healthy person, benign bacteria act like a police squad and prevent colonies of pathogenic bacteria from thriving and invading the area. Eating probiotic foods is a safe and simple way to introduce benign bacteria into your system.
These bacteria multiply in the gastrointestinal tract and compete with the pathogens by forcing them out of your system. Yogurt with active cultures (live) and fermented foods like sauerkraut are probiotics, say Australian researchers who studied the role of prebiotics in food. These are also found in the form of supplements in capsules, pills or powders.
Origin of Probiotics: More than a century ago, Russian scientist Elie Metchnikoff , winner of the Nobel Prize, observed that Belgian farmers consumed a lot of yogurt and had a long and healthy life. When analyzing the yogurt, he discovered that it contains microorganisms that live naturally in our intestines. Today we call them probiotics, and they are commercialized in the form of capsules, powders and fermented milk products.
We all have a unique intestinal flora, as individual as a fingerprint, and we preserve it for life. Its amount can decrease due to stress and the ingestion of drugs, alcohol and, above all, antibiotics. Over time it recovers, but taking a complementary dose can speed up the process and prevent infections and diarrhea.
Properties of probiotics
How They Work: Taking extra probiotics helps us in many ways. In addition to increasing the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestine, they have a direct effect on the membrane cells that coat it and inhibit the inflammatory process. Some strengthen the immune system by modifying the function of white blood cells and antibodies.
According to alternative medicine, although there is no scientific evidence, an imbalance in the intestinal flora can cause a disorder called " leaky bowel syndrome ," in which large molecules pass through the walls of the intestine and cause an immune response that In turn, it triggers an allergic reaction. Avoiding this imbalance is the main recommendation of naturopathic medicine.
What evidence is there that they are effective?
A recent article published in the Medical Journal of Australia confirmed that probiotics help prevent or mitigate various types of diarrhea, including infectious ones, especially those caused by rotavirus or by the use of antibiotics.
It is also believed that probiotics are useful against disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis. And its possible beneficial effects are being investigated in other conditions, including Crohn's disease and necrotizing enterocolitis, says Dr. Andrew Day, a professor at the School of Women's and Children's Health at the University of New South Wales.
It is also proven that probiotics strengthen the immune system and help in conditions such as eczema and, perhaps, asthma. A recent European study revealed that babies whose mothers took a probiotic during pregnancy had fewer diarrhea, allergies and infections.
Finally, some doctors now believe that the scarce presence of beneficial bacteria in the intestines
(for the abuse of antibiotics or for living in a sterile environment) may be the cause, in part, of the increase in obesity, allergies and other diseases.
How can I consume probiotics?
The main natural source of probiotics is yogurt, particularly the varieties that contain active lactobacilli. Fermented milk drinks are also a good source. In some countries probiotics are added to other foods, such as bread, sausages and ice cream. If you need a high dose (for being under treatment with antibiotics, for example), you should take a supplement. In dietetics, probiotics are sold in the form of capsules and powders.
How often should I take them?
If you are going to take a probiotic supplement, follow the instructions on the product label.
How can I know if it is the correct dose?
There are many types of probiotics, and to prevent or alleviate certain conditions or meet certain needs, you have to take a specific variety . The problem is that many of them die before reaching the part of the intestine where they are useful. In addition to acquiring the specific type of probiotics you need, you must make sure you take the correct dose.
We need between 100 million and 1,000 million live probiotics every day. Although the standards of food quality control vary from country to country, experts point out that yogurts and beverages with probiotics should contain at least one million live bacteria per gram, and companies that manufacture products with biologically active ingredients they must indicate the amount they contain on the nutrition information label. However, there is no standard method for counting bacteria.
Recent studies reveal that not all brands of yogurt and milk drinks with probiotics sold in those countries contain the minimum required amount of live bacteria per gram (more than one million) and, in addition, present quality differences. The best advice is to choose the products that comply with the regulations (for any doubt you can consult the consumer defense office), buy them in shops that often sell these foods, and put them in the refrigerator when you get home to be preserved fresh
Irrigations of its Consumption: From a theoretical point of view, being microorganisms that are normally part of our own flora, they could hardly cause infectious problems, so the probability of presenting adverse effects due to the consumption of probiotics is very low.
Of the few people who have had them, some suffered diarrhea, and only a few who were very sick or who had weakened the immune system contracted septicemia (widespread infectious process by the presence of pathogens in the blood).
On the other hand, these rare side effects do not seem to be related to the amount of ingested probiotics. Some probiotic capsules that are available in dietetics contain up to 10,000 million microorganisms each, and studies have been conducted with doses of up to 360,000 million bacteria without people having problems.
Utility: Currently, probiotics have proven to be useful and beneficial in:
- * Treatment of acute infectious diarrhea in children and adults
- * Prevention of diarrhea associated with antibiotics in children and adults
- * Some intestinal inflammatory diseases (ulcerative colitis, pouchitis)
- * Improvement of symptoms due to poor digestion of lactose
- * Improvement of some symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
- * Prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants
TYPES OF PROBIOTICS AND MAIN USES
- Each variety has specific uses and diverse benefits. These are the most common:
- For general health: Lactobadllus addophilus, Bifidobacterium animalis.
- For babies: Lactobadllus addophilus, Lactobadllus reuteri.
- When taking antibiotics: S accharomyces boulardii, Lactobadllus rhamnosus GG, Lactobadllus case /, Lactobadllus addophilus, Lactobadllus GG.
- Infectious diarrhea: Lactobadllus rhamnosus GG, Saccharomyces boulardii.
- Irritable bowel syndrome: Bifidobacterium infantis. Inflammatory enteritis: Saccharomyces boulardii (according to preliminary studies).
- Ulcerative colitis: VSLN ° 3, Escherichia coli.
- Allergies and eczema: Lactobadllus addophilus, Lactobadllus reuteri, Lactobadllus fermentum, Lactobadllus GG.
- Prevention of urinary infections: Lactoba-c / 7 / us rhamnosus GR-i, Lactobadllus reuteri.
PROBIOTICS AND CHILD HEALTH
Babies receive their first dose of beneficial bacteria at birth, as they pass through the birth canal. During the first two years of life they gradually acquire the profile of intestinal flora that they will conserve until death. The administration of antibiotics during delivery or shortly thereafter - for example, in a cesarean section or when consuming certain milk formulas - can alter this process. European studies reveal that babies who receive probiotics are less likely to suffer diarrhea, fevers and infections in the kindergarten, and also are less at risk of eczema. Professor Seppo Salminen, director of the Functional Foods Forum at the University of Turku in Finland, says that breast milk contains millions of beneficial bacteria, so it is a natural probiotic. "If a pregnant woman has a family history of atopic eczema or allergies, it's a good idea to take a probiotic during the last third of pregnancy and during breastfeeding," she says. "And if you do not breastfeed the baby, 'you must choose a milk formula that contains probiotics." (Source: Selecciones Magazine October 2009)