What are Probiotics and how do they benefit you?
10 minutes read.
Probiotics are generally thought of as the “good” bacteria in the body.
Probiotics are made of good live bacteria and/or yeasts that naturally live in your body. You constantly have both good and bad bacteria in your body.
When you get an infection, there are more bad bacteria, knocking your system out of balance. Good bacteria help eliminate extra bad bacteria, returning the balance. Probiotic supplements are a way to add good bacteria to your body.
Experts define probiotics as live microorganisms that confer health benefits when present in adequate amounts.
In this, I will review everything you need to know about probiotics including what scientists had shown about probiotics.
Feel free to skip through:
What are probiotics?
What are probiotics?
The term probiotic is derived from the Greek language meaning “for life”
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body. They can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods, dietary supplements, and beauty products.
Although people often think of bacteria and other microorganisms as harmful “germs,” many are actually helpful. Some bacteria help digest food, destroy disease-causing cells, or produce vitamins.
There are two kinds of bacteria constantly living in and on your body — good bacteria and bad bacteria.
Probiotics are made up of good bacteria that help keep your body healthy and working well. This good bacteria helps you in many ways, including fighting off bad bacteria when you have too much of it, helping you feel better.
Many of the microorganisms in probiotic products are the same as or similar to microorganisms that naturally live in our bodies. (1)
Probiotics are part of a larger picture of bacteria and your microbiome. Think of a microbiome as a diverse community of organisms, such as a forest, that work together to keep your body healthy.
This community is made up of things called microbes. You have trillions of microbes on and in your body.
These microbes are a combination of:
- Bacteria.
- Fungi (including yeasts).
- Viruses.
- Protozoa.
Everyone’s microbiome is unique. No two people have the same microbial cells — even twins are different.
For a microbe to be called a probiotic, it must have several characteristics. These include being able to:
- be isolated from a human being.
- survive in your intestine after ingestion (being eaten).
- have a proven benefit to you.
- be safely consumed. (2, 3)
Types
What are the most common types of probiotic bacteria?
Though there are many types of bacteria that can be considered probiotics, there are two specific types of bacteria that are common probiotics found in stores. (4, 5)
These include:
- Lactobacillus.
- Bifidobacterium.
Probiotics are also made up of good yeast. The most common type of yeast found in probiotics is:
- Saccharomyces boulardii.
Sources of probiotics
Where do beneficial probiotics (microbes) live in my body?
Though the most common place linked to beneficial microbes in your gut (mostly large intestines), you have several locations in and on your body that host good microbes. These locations are in contact with the “outside world” and include your:
Can I take or eat something to increase the good probiotics (microbes) in my body?
Yes, you can increase the number of good microbes in your body through foods, drinks, and supplements.
Some of the fermented foods that contain probiotics include;
- Yogurt
- Sauerkraut
- Kefir
- Tempeh
- Okpei, ogiri, iru, dawadawa
- fufu
- Kimchi
- Miso soup
- Kombucha
- Cottage cheese.
- Pickles
- Traditional buttermilk (9,10)
How it works
How do probiotics work?
The main job of probiotics, or good bacteria, is to protect the parts of your where they live from developing harmful bacteria which can infect your body and cause diseases. Think of it as protection.
When you are sick, it means bad bacteria have entered your body and increased in number than what the good bacteria can get rid of or destroy. This knocks your body out of balance.
Good bacteria work to fight off the bad bacteria and restore the balance within your body, making you feel better.
Good bacteria keep you healthy by supporting your immune function and controlling inflammation.
Certain types of good bacteria can also:
- Help your body digest food smoothly.
- Keep bad bacteria from getting out of control and making you sick.
- Create vitamins.
- Help support the cells that line your gut to prevent bad bacteria that you may have consumed (through food or drinks) from entering your blood.
- Break down and absorb medications.
This balancing act is naturally happening in your body all of the time. You don’t actually need to take probiotic supplements to make it happen.
Good bacteria are just a natural part of your body. Eating a well-balanced diet rich in fiber every day helps to keep the number of good bacteria at proper levels. (11, 12 )
Health Benefits/Uses of Probiotics
Can I use probiotics to help with medical conditions?
There is currently a large amount of research happening around the idea of what probiotics can do for your body.
Even though there are a lot of possible positive outcomes, researchers are still working to find definitive answers about how probiotics can help with various conditions.
However, there are some medical conditions where probiotics may help. This can vary between people meaning that what works for one person may not work for another.
These can also vary based on the certain probiotic that is taken.
Some of the conditions that might be helped by increasing the number of probiotics in your body (through food or supplements) include:
- Diarrhea (both diarrhea caused by antibiotics and from Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection).
- Constipation.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Yeast infections.
- Urinary tract infections.
- Gum disease.
- Lactose intolerance.
- Eczema (atopic dermatitis).
- Upper respiratory infections (ear infections, common cold, sinusitis).
- Sepsis (specifically in infants). (13, 14, 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20, 21, 22 , 23 , 24 , 25, 26 , 27 , 28, 29 , 30 , 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 , 36)
How do I take a probiotic supplement?
There are several ways to take a probiotic supplement. They come in a variety of forms, including:
- Foods.
- Drinks.
- Capsules or pills.
- Powders.
- Liquids.
Probiotic supplements may be combined with a prebiotic. Prebiotics are complex carbohydrates that feed the microorganisms in your gut.
Basically, prebiotics is the “food source” for good bacteria. They help feed the good bacteria and keep it healthy. (6)
Prebiotics include:
- inulin (a polysaccharide found in the roots and tubers of certain plants)
- pectin and resistant starches.
I hope you are getting value. Remember there is some risk attached to eating probiotics. The answer is ahead, read on.
What’s Symbiotic?
Symbiotics are products that combine probiotics and prebiotics. (37, 38)
Storage Instructions
How do you store probiotics?
Several probiotic strains are very fragile and need to be protected from heat, oxygen, light, and humidity.
The probiotics might start to break down or die if they are exposed to these elements. Because of this, you may need to refrigerate your probiotics or store it in a particular place.
Refrigerating certain probiotic strains ensures that they’re still viable when you go to use them and will still provide the full benefit of the probiotic. (39, 40 )
Always read the labels on any probiotic product you purchase to make sure you store it correctly and use it within the expiration date.
Are probiotics really safe?
Because microbes used as probiotics already exist naturally in your body, probiotic foods and supplements are generally considered safe.
However, they may trigger allergic reactions in some people and may also cause mild stomach upset, diarrhea, flatulence (passing gas), and bloating for the first few days after starting to take them.
There are certain people who need to use caution when using probiotic supplements. There is a risk of infection in some people. These people include those who have:
- A weakened immune system (those going through chemotherapy for example).
- A critical illness.
- Recently had surgery.
Caution should also be used when giving probiotics to very sick infants.
Always talk to your healthcare provider before starting a probiotic supplement.
How effective are probiotics?
Researchers are currently unsure how effective probiotic supplements are for treating conditions. There’s constant research on the topic.
While many research studies have had positive results on the impact of probiotic supplements, more research is still needed.
It’s also important to keep in mind that, unlike medications, dietary supplements do not need to be approved by the FDA.
This means that manufacturers can sell supplements simply with “claims” of safety and effectiveness.
Always talk with your healthcare provider (or pediatrician) before taking a supplement or giving one to your child.
Supplements might interfere with medicines you may be taking. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your health provider before taking any supplement.
Risk and Side effects
Are there any health risks related to probiotics?
Probiotics are generally considered safe. However, there are some risks linked to the supplements.
These risks are increased if you have a medical condition that weakens your immune system, have recently had surgery, or have other serious medical conditions.
Unlikely, but possible risks can include:
- Developing an infection.
- Developing resistance to antibiotics.
- Developing harmful byproducts from the probiotic supplement. (41, 42)
Probiotics and Other Medication
Do I need to take probiotics after I take antibiotics?
Antibiotic medications are often needed to fight infection. However, while antibiotics are killing the bad bacteria, they are also knocking out the good bacteria in your body. This is how taking drugs indirectly exposes your body to developing diseases later in life.
Some people develop conditions like diarrhea after taking an antibiotic. In other people, this may allow for really bad bacteria to take over and populate the gut, such as with C. diff.
Some research has shown a positive connection between taking probiotics after an antibiotic and relief from diarrhea. This hasn’t been proven yet and doesn’t work for everyone.
The thought behind adding probiotics back into your body after taking an antibiotic is that it can repopulate the good bacteria that were destroyed by the antibiotics and re-boot your system.
The extra good bacteria help repopulate your gut and fight off any remaining bad bacteria. Many people feel that adding in probiotics won’t hurt, and might help you feel better a little faster, and prevent diarrhea. (43, 44, 45)
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can kids take probiotics?
Probiotics can be beneficial for both adults and kids. If your child has an illness that requires antibiotic medication for treatment, taking a probiotic can help shorten symptoms.
Probiotics can also be used to help relieve constipation, acid reflux, diarrhea, gas, and eczema in children.
Introducing probiotics into your child’s diet through food is typically a safe way to give them probiotics. Foods like yogurt and cottage cheese are often part of a balanced diet and can add in good bacteria without much risk.
There are commercially available probiotic supplements specifically designed for infants and children.
However, it is important to talk to your child’s pediatrician before giving them any probiotic supplement or changing the child’s diet to include probiotic-rich foods.
Conclusion
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are intended to have health benefits when consumed or applied to the body. They can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods, dietary supplements, and beauty products.
The two main types of probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium
Because microbes used as probiotics already exist naturally in your body, probiotic foods and supplements are generally considered safe.
However, they may trigger allergic reactions in some people and may also cause mild stomach upset, diarrhea, flatulence (passing gas), and bloating for the first few days after starting to take them.
People who have weakened immune systems (those going through chemotherapy for example), critical illness, and recently had surgery should special caution in taking probiotics or better speak with their healthcare provider before doing so.
Also, caution should be taken in giving children probiotics.
I hope you get the value worth your time. I appreciate the time you spend with me. Leave a comment if you like this post. Do you have any questions as regards probiotics I didn’t touch here? Feel free to share with me in the comment below.
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