PROBIOTICS – NATURE, SOURCE, BENEFITS AND SIDE EFFECTS

PROBIOTICS – NATURE, SOURCE, BENEFITS AND SIDE EFFECTS

INTRODUCTION

Probiotics are microorganisms that offer some form of health benefit to the host – they can be found in various different foods. Probiotics are believed to play very important roles in regulating proper intestinal function and digestion – by balancing intestinal microflora.

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called “good” or “helpful” bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.

Probiotics are naturally found in your body. You can also find them in some foods and supplements.

It’s only been since about the mid-1990s that people have wanted to know more about probiotics and their health benefits. Doctors often suggest them to help with digestive problems. And because of their newfound fame, you can find them in everything from yogurt to chocolate.

These ‘good bacteria’ are considered to be “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host”, according to the World Health Organization.

Probiotics are normally consumed in fermented foods with active live cultures such as yogurt.

Probiotics are also available in supplement form as capsules, liquid and chewables. There are many different strains of probiotics, but the most common strains available today in are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

TYPES OF PROBIOTICS

Many types of bacteria are classified as probiotics. They all have different benefits, but most come from two groups. Ask your doctor about which might best help you.

1. Lactobacillus. This may be the most common probiotic. It’s the one you’ll find in yogurt and other fermented foods. Different strains can help with diarrhea and may help with people who can’t digest lactose, the sugar in milk.
2. Bifidobacterium. You can also find it in some dairy products. It may help ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and some other conditions.

NATURE OF PROBIOTIC STRAINS

Probiotic cultures naturally occur in certain fermented foods. Below is a list of different strains of probiotic bacteria.

• Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086
• Bifidobacterium animalis subscp. lactis BB-12
• Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis 35624
• Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM
• Lactobacillus paracasei St11
• Lactobacillus johnsonii La1
• Lactobacillus plantarum 299v
• Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC
• Lactobacillus reuteri Protectis
• Saccharomyces boulardii.

SOURCE OF PROBIOTICS

Foods that contain natural probiotics:

• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Aged cheeses
• Kimchi
• Sauerkraut
• Miso
• Tempeh
• Some soy beverages.

There are also products available which are probiotic-fortified such as juices, chocolates, flour and cereal.

BENEFITS OF PROBIOTICS

It should be noted that many of the possible health benefits of probiotics still require more scientific research to be proven.

• Diarrhea: Certain strains of probiotics have demonstrated positive results in treating diarrhea and gastroenteritis. According to a report published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, probiotics are “useful in the prevention or treatment of several gastrointestinal disorders”, such as infectious diarrhea, antibiotic diarrhea, and traveler’s diarrhea.
• Brain function: Probiotics may be beneficial for brain function. Researchers at UCLA found that brain function improved among healthy women who regularly consumed probiotic-containing yogurt.
• Cholesterol: Research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions in 2012 revealed that a formulation of Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242, is able to reduce blood levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
• Blood pressure: The consumption of probiotics may effect a modest benefit in helping to control high blood pressure. Some studies have found that milk fermented with strains of LAB may help lower blood pressure.
• Irritable bowel syndrome: There is growing evidence that probiotics can help treat IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
• Infection: Probiotic Bacteria Can Protect Against Bacterial Infection.
• Psoriasis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Probiotics have the benefits for patients with psoriasis and chronic fatigue syndrome. Probiotics may help people with irritable bowel syndrome, although uncertainty remains around which type of probiotic works best, and around the size of the effect. No good evidence indicates taking probiotics helps maintain remission from ulcerative colitis.
• Immune function and infections: Some strains of LAB may affect pathogens by means of competitive inhibition (i.e., by competing for growth) and some evidence suggests they may improve immune function by increasing the number of IgA-producing plasma cells and increasing or improving phagocytosis, as well as increasing the proportion of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Clinical trials have demonstrated that probiotics may decrease the incidence of respiratory-tract infections and dental caries in children. LAB products might aid in the treatment of acute diarrhea, and possibly affect rotavirus infections in children and travelers’ diarrhea in adults, but no products are approved for such indications.
• Vitamin production: Probiotic treatment has been studied as a means of addressing maladies associated with vitamin deficiency, e.g., of vitamin K, folic acid, and vitamin B12.
• Eczema: Probiotics are commonly given to breast-feeding mothers and their young children to prevent eczema, but some doubt exists over the strength of evidence supporting this practice.

SIDE EFFECTS

In some situations, such as where the person consuming probiotics is critically ill, probiotics could be harmful. In a therapeutic clinical trial conducted by the Dutch Pancreatitis Study Group, the consumption of a mixture of six probiotic bacteria increased the death rate of patients with predicted severe acute pancreatitis.

In a clinical trial aimed at showing the effectiveness of probiotics in reducing childhood allergies, researchers gave 178 children either a probiotic or a placebo for the first six months of their lives. Those given the probiotic were more likely to develop a sensitivity to allergens.

Some hospitals have reported treating Lactobacillus septicaemia, which is a potentially fatal disease caused by the consumption of probiotics by people with lowered immune systems or who are already very ill.

Probiotics taken orally can be destroyed by the acidic conditions of the stomach. A number of microencapsulation techniques are being developed to address this problem.

One 2009 paper cited a 2007 study in chickens as a support for causally linked probiotic products such as yogurts with obesity trends. However, this is contested as the link to obesity, and other health-related issues with yogurt may link to its dairy and calorie attributes.

Some experts are skeptical on the efficacy of many strains and believe not all subjects will benefit from the use of probiotics.

REFERENCES

GILLILAND, Stanley E, MORELLI, Lorenzo, REID, Gregor. “Health and Nutritional Properties of Probiotics in Food including Powder Milk with Live Lactic Acid Bacteria“. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. World Health Organization. Accessed October 14th 2013.

Vanderhoof JA, Young RJ. “Use of probiotics in childhood gastrointestinal disorders”. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1998 Sep;27(3):323-32. Accessed October 13th 2013

Szajewska H, Kotowska M, Mrukowicz JZ, Armańska M, Mikołajczyk W. “Efficacy of Lactobacillus GG in prevention of nosocomial diarrhea in infants”. J Pediatr. 2001 Mar;138(3):361-5. Accessed October 13th 2013.

Mary Ellen Sanders. “Considerations for Use of Probiotic Bacteria to Modulate Human Health”. The Journal of Nutrition. February 1, 2000 vol. 130 no. 2 384. Accessed October 13th 2013.