Present in some foods, the friendly bacteria of our body are one of science's bets against troubles that plague from childhood to maturity
Just looking at the belly can not be distrusted, but there live at least 10 trillion microorganisms. A large population there - by comparison, across the planet we are currently 7.3 billion people. To this universe sheltered in the digestive tract was initially given the name of intestinal flora , duly renamed microbiota.
As in our society, the animals have family, name and surname. And most important of all, they perform numerous functions within the body. "In recent years, the number of evidence on the influence of microbiota on health has increased greatly," says Elisabeth Neumann, a professor at the Laboratory of Ecology and Physiology of Microorganisms at the Federal University of Minas Gerais ( UFMG ).
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This influence, it is good to say, is not always positive. "Unbalance in bacterial populations is associated with several diseases," says nutritionist Adriane Antunes, a professor at the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the State University of Campinas, Unicamp .
A very simple equation denotes this breach of equilibrium: potentially harmful microbes, which also inhabit the intestine, multiply to the point of overlapping influences on benefiting beasts. One way to prevent this from happening or to reverse the situation is to invest in probiotics , known to be beneficial bacteria that can be found in yogurts , fermented milks , cheeses , as well as capsules and sachets.
According to Yasumi Osawa, a pharmacist at Yakult , a pioneer in research on the subject, appropriate doses of these microscopic beings help repopulate the microbiota, this time with good-natured individuals. To keep them in shape and ensure their colonization, prebiotics also come on the scene, fibers that we can not digest. "They serve as food for probiotics," explains Yasumi.
The relationships and banquets locked inside the belly and their reflexes in the body are gaining so much importance that they demand a scientific event of their own, the Brazilian Congress of Pre, Pro and Simbiotics, the PreProSim. Held in June, together with Ganepão, one of the most important nutrition conferences in the country, the event left no doubt that we need to know and value the work of these bacteria. Below you will see how they impact immunity, heart and even mental health.
1. Low immunity
Here's a classic effect of probiotics: making our defense system sharper. According to Adriane, from Unicamp, the arrival of the bacteria in the intestine awakens the defense cells, which, in the fright, are still not sure if the bees are even allies. "This mechanism keeps the immune system active and more able to react to disease-causing microorganisms," she explains.
There are other actions that contribute to the screening against infectious agents. Dr Cristina Bogsan, a professor at the University of São Paulo (USP), says that defense cells that recognize the flu virus live longer when the individual takes a probiotic present in fermented milk, for example - long enough to spend the winter in a good mood.
2. Intestinal problems
Considering that 70% of the microbiota is in the region of the intestine, it is natural for us to see a direct impact there. "Currently, probiotics and symbiotics are part of the treatment of constipation," says Dr. Dan Waitzberg, a professor at USP and president of Ganepoo .
There are bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium animalis , present in certain yogurts, which incite peristaltic movements. It is they who make the stool to walk forward. "The fecal cake is transported but does not liquefy. That's why there is no diarrhea, "reassures Cristina. By the way, Waitzberg recalls that probiotics are also helpful against the popular loose bowel. Studies indicate that certain bacteria reduce the time of diarrhea as well as visits to the bathroom.
3. Obesity
Scientists have long known that the microbiota of an obese individual is different from that of someone with a healthy weight. And a micro-organism that is present in slender people has encouraged the research group, Akkermansia muciniphila . During a lecture at PreProSim, nutritionist Priscila Sala, from the São Camilo University Center in São Paulo, said that the bacteria decreased the body mass gain among guinea pigs by 40 to 50%.
"In experiments, its effect was preserved even when it was heated to 70 ° C," he says. A major differential, because foods with probiotics today are refrigerated to ensure the survival of bacteria. While Akkermansia does not hit the market, invest in red fruits, onions, chocolate and nuts, which create conditions for the pet to thrive.
4. Oral diseases
Here, there are two ways of acting. One is indirect: when probiotics reach the intestine, they minimize inflammation, which improves gum condition and adjacency. But the oral cavity has its own microbiota. Hence why some bacteria have direct (and local) impact on such problems as caries and periodontitis.
In studies, dentist Michel Messora, at the School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP, noted that associating the standard treatment of periodontitis with probiotic supplements improved the patients' response to the intervention. "In addition, there was a risk of return of the disease," says Messora. To prevent the problem of cutting teeth, he says that you can bet on fermented yogurts and milks - as long as they are low in sugar.
5. Cholesterol and pressure
In these matters that afflict the heart, the findings are incipient, but exciting. Pharmaceutical Elisabeth, from UFMG, reveals that some strains of the genus Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium would be able to assimilate cholesterol in the intestine. "This would reduce the levels available for absorption by the body," he teaches. But she says further studies are needed to confirm this outcome.
Other tests show that certain bacteria have the ability to induce the production of substances that regulate blood pressure, another risk factor for the heart. "But we can not dream of solving a problem of this magnitude only with the use of these microorganisms," says Elisabeth. "No pre or probiotic should be seen as a substitute for medication," emphasizes Cristina, from USP.
6. Intimate chatting
Candidiasis and vaginosis account for almost 90% of the most common discomforts in women of childbearing age. The worst is that they tend to be recurrent. "And antibiotics and antifungal drugs are less effective," says José Maria Soares Junior, deputy chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo .
One way to get around this resistance is to get probiotics into play. "By ingesting them through supplements, it is possible to change the intestinal flora and thereby beneficially colonize the vagina," the doctor describes. Hence harmful micro-organisms do not find a way to proliferate. According to Soares Junior, probiotic foods would even aid in prevention. "But it's no use smoking, being sedentary and neglecting the rest of the diet. All this affects the microbiota, "warns the gynecologist.
7. Skin Irritations
Having a regulated gut - with the strength of probiotics - also leaves the skin more palpable. "It is that the toxins that interfere in the water barrier of the skin, for example, are eliminated," Yasumi of Yakult reports. With this, there is less space for wrinkles, dry skin ... But the good bacteria have other trumps in the dermatological area. There are strains, already available in sachets to be taken, that combat atopic dermatitis.
Probiotics, in this case, help contain the inflammatory process that leads to skin lesions. In that same line, according to new studies, some bacteria would still hit head-on with acne. To take advantage of these effects, the advice is to maintain a frequent intake of probiotics. Otherwise, the microbiota returns to its natural state, programmed there early in life. But it is likely that we will soon have creams with these bacteria.
8. Cancer
It is speculated that preventing dysbiosis - that is, the dominance of bad bacteria in the intestinal flora - would reduce the risk of tumors, particularly colorectal ones. "We would have less inflammation there, which, over the years, may predispose to the disease," says nutritionist Thaís Manfrinato Miola, of the ACCamargo Cancer Center in São Paulo. In this regard, a balanced diet containing food with probiotics would be welcome.
Today, in practice, we also see the indication of good bacteria during the treatment of the tumor. When indicating them to surgical patients, the physician Antonio Carlos Ligocki Campos, Federal University of Paraná , saw fewer infectious complications, less use of antibiotics and length of stay. According to Thaís, the measure is also useful for relieving adverse reactions from chemo and radiotherapy.
9. Stress and anxiety
No one doubts that there is a direct connection between intestine and brain. Therefore, there is a tendency to link probiotics to impacts on the nervous system. "Some bacteria produce precursor molecules of serotonin and stimulate the release of gaba," exemplifies Cristina, of USP. Complicated? "These are neurotransmitters associated with anxiety control and the feeling of happiness," he says.
She notes, however, that studies are heading to confirm such effects. The role of probiotics against Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and depression, as well as disorders affecting other areas of the body, is still under debate. "There is an unlimited universe of possibilities," says Elisabeth of UFMG. But do not expect to spoil your guests. They will return by leaving the house - that is, its body - in order.
The bacteria Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus improve the absorption of antioxidants from orange juice
Researchers from the Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), at the Alameda del Obispo Center (Córdoba), in collaboration with the University of Lleida and the University of California (USA), have demonstrated the capacity of two types of bacteria to transform the antioxidants present in orange juice.
According to experts from Cordoba, the bacteria Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, naturally present in the intestinal tract, transform the antioxidants in orange juice, called flavanones, into simpler molecules. These compounds are responsible for the beneficial properties for the health of this juice.
These products of transformation of the antioxidants of the juice in the organism are detailed in a research published by the European Journal of Nutrition . According to the authors of the study, it is of great interest for the food industry, since these two types of probiotic bacteria will serve for the creation of functional foods or pharmaceutical products that seek to improve the absorption of antioxidants in the body and enhance their protective effects. health.
These two types of probiotic bacteria will serve for the creation of functional foods or pharmaceutical products that seek to improve the absorption of antioxidants
"There is research that shows the positive effects of the consumption of oranges or orange juice on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer, properties attributed mainly to its composition rich in antioxidants," explains Gema Pereira Caro, IFAPA researcher and author of the article.
According to experts from Cordoba, the bacteria Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, naturally present in the intestinal tract, transform the antioxidants in orange juice, called flavanones, into simpler molecules. These compounds are responsible for the beneficial properties for the health of this juice.
"In addition, there is scientific evidence that shows the important role played by the intestinal microflora in the absorption and assimilation of these compounds, so the knowledge of which bacteria are involved in the transformation, absorption and assimilation of the antioxidants of the orange is of utmost importance, "he adds.
Improve the absorption of juice
Based on a previous study, the scientists showed that the prolonged intake of one gram of the microencapsulated probiotic ( Bifidobacterium longum ) for one month improves the absorption and metabolization of the antioxidants in orange juice, and therefore, their beneficial health properties.
Once proven that probiotics facilitate the absorption of flavanones, the experts considered knowing the biochemical causes of the process taking the experiment to the laboratory to analyze how these two types of specific bacteria present in the colon act on flavonoids.
"The mechanism through which this probiotic bacteria influences the increase in absorption is not clear, so the in vitro study was considered, observing how both types of bacteria transform or metabolize the antioxidant compounds of orange juice to other simpler compounds. , responding to the results of the in vivo study, "says Pereira.
In the laboratory tests they kept the probiotic bacteria in an optimal culture medium, without oxygen and at a stable temperature of 37 ° C for 48 hours inoculated with flavanones from orange juice (naringenin, hesperetin, narirutin and hesperedina). Every 12 hours samples were obtained and the products of transformation of these compounds were identified by the action of the bacteria, called catabolites.
Through these tests they discovered that the enzymatic activity of the bacteria causes the breaking of the chemical bonds of the flavanones. Specifically, they determined that the antioxidants in the juice with the simplest structure are transformed by Bifidobacterium longum , while the bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus modifies both complex and simple antioxidants.
The results show, therefore, its potential implication in the in vivo transformation of the antioxidants of the orange and at the same time, the compounds that give this food its healthy capacity are defined.
The project is part of the research funded by IFAPA's own plan and European funds and proposes in the near future the creation of new products that include probiotics aimed at improving intestinal absorption and the bioavailability of phenolic compounds in foods.