What is a probiotic and how does it affect our health?
Probiotics are gaining popularity in the prevention of lifestyle diseases (e.g. high blood pressure). What are they and how do they affect our health?
Probiotics are live microbes that are beneficial to health. The term probiotic (Greek for "by life") was coined at the beginning of the 20th century by Nobel laureate Metchnikoff, studying the role of lactic acid bacteria in promoting health.
A probiotic is a useful live microbe, the administration of which in certain amounts has a positive effect on human health.
Probiotics are mostly lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, but several others are also used, such as yeast ( Saccharomyces boulardii ) or E. coli Nissle 1917.
All probiotics are beneficial bacteria, all beneficial bacteria, including mixtures of arbitrary bacteria, are not probiotics!
A "beneficial" bacterium can be called a probiotic if its safety and effectiveness have been proven. The development of one lactic acid bacterium or other microbe into a probiotic and the evaluation of its health effects have international three-level requirements.
A number of positive, general and special health effects have been scientifically proven when using probiotics.
Common effects of probiotics :
- Effect on the immune system: Probiotics affect the immune system through several different pathways.
- Balance of the digestive microbiota: Probiotics have been most used to balance the microbiota and prevent various diarrheas.
- Alleviation of lactose intolerance. The effect is to provide the human body with the enzyme needed to digest milk sugar
- Food allergies: Probiotics have the ability to relieve the overreaction of the immune system to food components, including milk protein allergies.
- Tumor risk reduction: The colon cancer risk reduction effect of probiotics is based on balancing the microbiota and reducing the production of harmful metabolites.
The most special features are:
Supporting cardiovascular health.
- Lowering cholesterol levels, increasing LDL oxyresistance: Cholesterol is important for the functioning of the body, but excess cholesterol is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Some probiotics have the ability to affect cholesterol levels. For example, the lactic acid bacterium plantarum Inducia® developed by BioCC OÜ increases the resistance of LDL-cholesterol to oxidation processes. This, in turn, helps reduce blood vessel damage.
- Blood pressure stabilization. Probiotics have been documented to have several blood pressure lowering mechanisms (similar to the effects of blood pressure medications). For example, the lactic acid bacterium plantarum Tensia ® discovered by BioCC OÜ affects blood pressure by producing vasorelaxing nitric oxide, di- and tripeptides with similar effects to ACE inhibitors, etc. Thus, the consumption of probiotics may be beneficial for the prevention of hypertension.
- Antioxidant activity: certain probiotics have the ability to neutralize reactive oxygen species and lower the risk of atherosclerosis. This effect of plantarum Inducia ® has been scientifically proven by clinical studies. Probiotics may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Non-infectious intestinal inflammations: alleviation of Crohn's disease symptoms (bloating and pain) by combinations of probiotic microbes with different properties. Probiotics may be useful in relieving non-infectious intestinal infections.
- Oral health: Gum disease is one of the most common health problems. the most probiotics affect the microbial community in the oral cavity, helping to prevent caries and periodontitis. Probiotics can be useful to supplement oral hygiene.
Probiotics are healthy live microbes, the consumption of which is a safe and effective way to strengthen immunity, balance the digestive microbiota, relieve digestive problems, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and prevent oral and gum disease. Probiotics are available in various foods and supplements, the quality, composition and dosage of which should be considered when choosing. Consumption of probiotics is recommended especially during stressful periods, during antibiotic treatment, when traveling. Probiotics are also available to the consumer in dairy products (yogurt, cheese, kefir) and as food supplements (powders, capsules).