You've heard a lot about the negative effects of bacteria, but some strains of bacteria are increasingly being consumed for their health giving effects. Probiotics, the friendly bacteria that live in your digestive system, provide a number of health benefits by inhabiting regions of your intestinal tract that could otherwise be colonized by more harmful forms of bacteria. To survive, these probiotics need sustenance. Prebiotics, also known as fermentable fiber, provide that sustenance.
Diarrhea Prevention
Eating foods that provide probiotics may help you to avoid several types of diarrhea. Traveler's diarrhea and antibiotic-associated diarrhea have been found to respond favorably to treatment with probiotics, according to USProbiotics.org. Prebiotics allow probiotic microorganisms to grow and increase in number. Prebiotics are carbohydrates that humans are unable to digest; they pass into the small intestine, where probiotic bacteria are able to consume them.
Bowel Problems
Prebiotics and probiotics may be helpful in the management of bowel disorders such as colitis, gastroenteritis and irritable bowel syndrome, according to MayoClinic.com. In some patients, probiotics can provide relief from the diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating of irritable bowel syndrome and can extend the remission periods for those who suffer from inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohn's disease. Prebiotics, such as those found in onions, bananas, garlic, honey, leeks and artichokes, assist the probiotic bacteria that confer these beneficial effects on the intestinal tract. Some products, called synbiotics, contain both pro and prebiotics. Yogurt and kefir are both considered symbiotic foods, according to Kansas State University Research and Extension's Nutrition News.
Lactose Intolerance
Probiotics, and prebiotics by association, are helpful for many people who cannot normally digest lactose, the sugar found in milk products. The ability to digest lactose is dependent on the presence of the enzyme beta-galactosidase, which is absent in all people except those of northern European descent. Because of this beta-galactosidase deficiency, most of the world's population is unable to digest lactose without experiencing bloating, gas and abdominal pain. Probiotics ease the discomfort of lactose intolerance by digesting the lactose for you. The probiotic bacteria strains known as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus have been found to be effective in easing the symptoms of lactose intolerance, according to Dr. Massimo Montalto of the department of internal medicine at the Catholic University in Rome.
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