Microbes and Me

What are probiotics and how do they work?
Probiotics are living organisms and are known as ‘good’ or ‘friendly’ bacteria as they compete for space and food against bad bacteria and prevent them from residing in the gut. What are prebiotics? Prebiotics are considered by some to be non-digestible carbohydrates, that are not digested by the body but nourish the micro-organisms in the colon. Prebiotics act as a food source for probiotics, thus causing probiotics to repopulate further. What can negatively affect gut bacteria? These are a few components that negatively affect gut bacteria including lifestyle factors such as drinking, smoking and high stress levels, as well as the use of antibiotics. Designed to fight infections, antibiotics kill and deplete the good, beneficial bacteria living in the gut.

Resistance to antibiotics is becoming a serious problem worldwide and it is for this reason that we should only take these when absolutely necessary. Stress can change the number and diversity of our gut bacteria, which in turn affects the immune system and may explain why certain conditions, such as eczema or acne, flare up when we are more stressed.

Excessive alcohol consumption can be inflammatory and may affect the lining of our digestive system, where a lot of our microbiome live, reducing them in numbers substantially and therefore affecting our health. Smoking also has a negative impact on the bacterial composition of the gut in addition to the well documented health risks it carries.

What are the preferred probiotics? The most common probiotics include lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. These differ as they are made up of different types or strains of bacteria, and are recommended for different clinical conditions. Lactobacillus acidophilus have been clinically shown to lower the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.

In order to experience this benefit, a vast quantity of food containing probiotics would need to be consumed. It is therefore easier and more effective to take a recommended probiotic supplement. For those with a diagnosis of IBS, supplements containing bifidobacterium have been shown to reduce symptoms, including bloating, cramping and stool frequency. Probiotics have been shown to improve symptoms in IBS, traveller’s diarrhoea and the duration of antibiotic associated diarrhoea.

There are two key issues when choosing a probiotic: the first is to ensure that the product contains enough bacteria to have an effect (Min 1 billion probiotic count), the second is to ensure that it survives the acidic environment of the stomach in order to reach the large intestine, thus protection system for the probiotic strains.

Check out more with Lactomin advance + and Lactokids + Probiotics.