The good health of your intestinal flora depends only on the balance between the good and the bad bacteria, which are there. Probiotics will help you preserve or restore this harmony if an external factor has broken it. Probiotics (micro biota) are microorganisms that populate your intestine and allow you to balance your intestinal flora.
What we must consume Probiotics?
According to the WHO, Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when ingested in sufficient quantities, exert positive effects on health, beyond the traditional nutritional effects. Billions of bacteria populate the entire digestive system (intestine in particular) barely a few hours after the birth of an infant. In an adult, there are almost 600 families of different bacteria, or nearly 100,000 billion bacteria. When all is well, these microorganisms help in the digestion and elimination of undesirable foods for the body.
Before getting lost in the shelves of pharmacies or herbalists, have you thought about adapting your diet to promote the reseeding of the intestinal flora? Fermented milks and yogurts are excellent because they offer you good bacteria. Sauerkraut, brewer's yeast, birch sap, fermented vegetables, carrots, beets, radishes and peppers are also beneficial for your intestinal flora. Natural sourdough bread, kefir, Japanese products also contain Probiotics.
Gut micro biota bacteria
In general, four main phyla colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, representing 98% of the intestinal micro biota. An estimated 30-40 species of bacteria dominate the intestinal ecosystem. You can group the major bacteria that make up the enteric micro biota by their performance in our body. The proper function of the intestinal micro biota depends on a composition of groups of bacteria in equilibrium. Therefore, changes in the ratio between these phyla or the inclusion of new bacterial groups lead to an imbalance of the intestinal micro biota. Over the years, the composition of the gut micro biota varies.
Phylum Bacteroidetes
Bacteroidetes are one of the predominant phyla in the human intestine and consist mainly of gram-negative bacteria. This group of bacteria has fermentative characteristics and the ability to modulate the immune system in a beneficial way. In the phylum Bacteroidetes, two bacterial genera are prevalent – Bactericides and Prevotella, associated with the maintenance of intestinal health and disease prevention.
The greater abundance of Prevotella is traditionally associated with higher consumption of carbohydrates, fiber and simple sugars, while the abundance of Bactericides is usually associated with diets rich in protein and saturated fat. Another important fact is the direct relationship between colonization and type of delivery, as it is at the time of passage through the vaginal canal that the greatest number of beneficial bacteria.
Filo Firmicutes
The phylum Firmicutes contains more than 200 genera of bacteria, which include several species of Lactobacillus, and of Clostridium. The vast majority of Firmicutes are gram-positive. It has both genera with beneficial immune-modulator activity, such as Clostridium and Lactobacillus, as well as species related to the induction of inflammation, which are directly associated with some chronic diseases. The main modulator of the intestinal micro biota is food.
Therefore, foods with high levels of saturated and polyunsaturated fats provide a favorable environment for the occurrence of this phylum. Excess calorie consumption leads to the proliferation of Firmicutes, allowing the extraction and storage of nutrients with greater efficiency, aiding in weight gain. The ingestion of fibers, fruits and vegetables, provides an increase in the production of derivatives from the fermentation of carbohydrates, resulting in an unfavorable environment for them.
Phylum Proteobacteria
The intestinal micro biota of healthy individuals has an approximate proportion of up to 5% of the Proteobacteria phylum. Under a healthy or asymptomatic clinical state, the increase in the proportion of the phylum Proteobacteria in the human intestine may be a transient response to changes in external factors such as diet and other interventions. However, a chronic increase in the phylum Proteobacteria is indicative of an unstable microbial community. Within this phylum are individuals of the Enterobacteriaceae family such as Escherichia coli, considered a bacterium and its presence in asymptomatic individuals may be common. However, in high proportions it may be associated with functional changes and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Filo Actinobacteria
The intestinal micro biota of healthy adult individuals has a usual proportion of 2 to 14% of bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium. Bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium have beneficial health functions due to their various effects, such as the production of vitamins, stimulation of the immune system, inhibition of potentially pathogenic bacteria, improvement in food digestion, maintenance of the intestinal barrier, and defense.
In the end: For all ages
People at any age can ingest Probiotics because they have no side effects. It is possible that you need to reinforce the presence of one or other of these families of bacteria with very different functions. In this case, the advice of a specialist is essential. You should also know that in children, Probiotics provide a better response to vaccines because they improve the immune response. Some parents also testify to the reduction in atopic eczema flare-ups in their toddlers thanks to the intake of Probiotics. Beware of products on sale in pharmacies, you can find everything and in wide price ranges.
Manipulated Probiotics
Another option to include “good bacteria” in everyday life and in the right dose is to bet on supplements or manipulated Probiotics. They are usually composed of bacterial strains that provide certain benefits to the body.
- Lactobacillus Casey: inhibits harmful bacteria, treating diarrhea, allergy, lowering cholesterol and blood glucose, inflammatory bowel disease.
- Lactobacillus acidophilus: treatment and prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, reduced cholesterol, triglycerides, and increased HDL.
- Lactobacillus delbrueckii: reduces cholesterol, glucose and weight.
- Bifidobacterium lactic: increases the immune response.
- Lactobacillus reuteri: prevents bone loss, reduction of newborn colic, adjuvant therapy for pylori eradication, glucose reduction.
- Saccharomyces boulardii: treats diarrhea caused by Clostridium and antibiotics.
- Streptococcus thermopiles: It reduces the frequency of diarrhea episodes and the signs associated with lactose mal-digestion.
What is the difference between Probiotics and Pre-biotics?
The spelling is misleading, but Probiotics and Pre-biotics are different elements, even though both are associated with the gut micro biota. Briefly, Pre-biotics are the fibers that fuel Probiotics. While Probiotics are live microorganisms that benefit the health of the host, pre-biotics are non-digestible carbohydrates that serve as “food” and stimulate the growth of good bacteria.