How do Probiotics Work?
Microorganisms require regular dietary ingestion in order to maintain their presence within the GI tract. Although the exact mechanisms of probiotics is not fully elucidated or should I say, generally agreed upon. Probiotics appear to affect the intestinal ecosystem by interacting with commensal or potential pathogenic microbes. The mechanism by which this occurs can be explained by the fact that probiotics have been shown to produce lactic acids, thereby lowering the intestinal pH and suppressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria. This results in the shift of intestinal bacterial content in favor of non-pathologic organisms. Accordingly when sufficient numbers of probiotic bacteria are present, colonization of pathogenic bacteria is reduced and mucosal defenses in the GI tract are enhanced.
Probiotics - Live microorganisms that confer health benefits when administered in adequate amounts
History of Probiotics
Elie Metchnikoff first postulated that lactic acid bacteria offered health benefits capable of producing longevity over a century ago. Between 1917 and 1935, Henry Tissier and Dr. Minoru Shirota isolated Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus casei strains, respectively, which showed benefit in aiding diarrhea outbreaks. Today, there have been over 1,500 clinical reports and trials published on probiotics. Despite many published studies reporting mixed results such as the probiotic strain used, dosage, and populations included, evidence has consistently shown that probiotics offer a number of health benefits.
Are Probiotics Safe?
Probiotics are sold as food supplements and are not recognized as medications by the FDA. The FDA classifies probiotics as dietary supplements, which limits the health claims that can be made or mentioned. In addition, there is also some concern regarding adherence to quality standards and consistency between products since most probiotics are not manufactured to pharmaceutical standards and lack regulatory oversight.
Traditional bacteria such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium, are generally considered safe for the general healthy population when consumed as part of foods and oral supplements. Most probiotics are derived from either fermented foods or from microbes colonizing a healthy human and have a low level of infection attributed to them. Therefore, their pathogenic potential is deemed to be quite low. However individuals with compromised immune system function or serious underlying disease should use caution and seek professional medical advice before use.
How Do I Choose the Right Probiotic For Me?
There are many different types of probiotics out on the market today. Just walk into any grocery store and you will quickly see just how many different types of probiotics there are, let alone all the differences between each product. In addition, not only are there a lot of products to choose from but depending on the reason your taking a probiotic will influence the most beneficial probiotic for you.
See probiotics have been shown to help with all of the following aliments:
Thankfully there is an app which you can use to help you determine which is the most beneficial probiotic based on your condition. The app is called Clinical Guide to Probiotic Products. Its a reputable app built by the Alliance for Education on Probiotics and lets you filter all the probiotics by indication in order to find the best one for your condition. You can also filter the probiotics by age and gender, which is useful for many parents who are looking for a probiotic for their child or loved one.
