If you're interested in experiencing the benefits of probiotics but don't know much about them, you may find the selection a bit bewildering. "Probiotics" refer to a variety of microbes that confer positive health benefits, according to "Functional Food Reviews." Probiotics vary in the type of microbe involved, the health benefits they provide and the products that contain them.
Introduction to Probiotics
Your body is home to an estimated 100 trillion microorganisms, according to the University of Mary Washington. The bacteria that live in the body of a healthy person typically cause no harm; quite the opposite, they are known to deliver health benefits through different mechanisms. The presence of beneficial intestinal bacteria helps thwart attempts by pathogens to infect your digestive tract. Some probiotic bacteria can digest lactose and may help those who suffer digestive discomfort when eating foods that contain lactose, such as milk. Probiotics can help restore your normal flora when they have been decimated by a course of antibiotic therapy.
Probiotic Foods Vs. Supplements
Nobel laureate Elie Metchnikoff first explored the potential for live bacteria to deliver positive health benefits in the early 1900s. Metchnikoff observed that Bulgarian people who ate lots of yogurt had uncommon levels of longevity, often living to over 100 years of age. He theorized that this effect was due to the live bacteria cultures that are used to ferment milk into yogurt. As long as yogurt isn't subjected to processes such as heat pasteurization, which can kill off its probiotic content, these bacteria remain live when ingested. Probiotics exist in other fermented dairy products, such as cultured buttermilk, kefir and sour cream. As more and more research reveals the health benefits of probiotics, many food manufacturers are seeking to capitalize on this by adding probiotics to their foods. However, if none of the probiotic foods on the market appeal to you, you can also consume probiotics in supplements.
Probiotic Yeast Vs. Bacteria
The vast majority of probiotic microorganisms are bacterial in form, but at least one form of yeast, known as Saccharomyces boulardii, is known to have probiotic benefits. According to USProbiotics.org, the correct taxonomic term for this microbe is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and of all the probiotics known to be effective in treating colitis due to infection by the bacteria Clostridium difficile. Yeast is a type of fungus, rather than bacteria. Most probiotics are bacteria, but this sole fungus, which is also known as baker's yeast, is the exception.
Strain-Specificity
One of the most important concepts to understand when considering the difference in probiotics is that their health benefits are strain-specific. This means that different types of microbe have different effects. If you're lactose intolerant and take a type of probiotic that doesn't digest lactose, you won't see significant improvement, if any. But if you're consuming strains such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus that are known to digest lactose, your symptoms will likely diminish according to USProbiotics.org.
References
- University of Mary Washington; Probiotics; November 2002
- USProbiotics.org: Probiotic Basics
- "Functional Foods Review"; How Do We Know When Something Called "Probiotic" Is Really a Probiotic? A Guideline for Consumers and Health Care Professionals; Mary Ellen Sanders; 2009
- "Communicating Current Research and Educational Topics and Trends in Applied Microbiology"; Probiotics: 100 years (1907-2007) after Elie Metchnikoff's Observation; Kingsley C. Anukam, et al; 2007
Member Comments