What are Probiotics?

What are Probiotics?

  

According to the World Health Organisation, 

Probiotics are “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host”

Probiotics Defined

Probiotics — The word “probiotic” translates to “for life,” taken from its Greek and Latin etymology. Probiotics are good, friendly bacteria.

Gut Flora — The natural bacterial content of the inside of the digestive tract. Also known as gut bacteria2.

Gut Bacteria — Living inside of your gut are 300 to 500 different kinds of bacteria containing nearly 2 million genes. Paired with other tiny organisms like viruses and fungi, they make what’s known as the microbiota3.

Microbiota — The full collection of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, virus, etc.) including their genetic material that naturally exist within a specific environment. Like a fingerprint, each person's microbiota is unique: The mix of bacteria in your body is different from everyone else's mix.

Microbiome — The totality of microorganisms collective genetic material present in or on the human body or in another environment.

Probiotics are a combination of live beneficial bacteria and/or yeasts that naturally live in your body. Bacteria is usually viewed in a negative light as something that makes you sick. However, you have two kinds of bacteria constantly in and on your body — good bacteria and bad bacteria. Probiotics are made up of good bacteria that helps keep your body healthy and working well. This good bacteria helps you in many ways, including fighting off bad bacteria when you have too much of it, helping you feel better.

Probiotics are part of a larger picture concerning bacteria and your body — your microbiome. Think of a microbiome as a diverse community of organisms, such as a forest, that work together to keep your body healthy. This community is made up of things called microbes. You have trillions of microbes on and in your body. These microbes are a combination of:

Bacteria.

Fungi (including yeasts).

Viruses.

Protozoa.

Everyone’s microbiome is unique. No two people have the same microbial cells — even twins are different.

For a microbe to be called a probiotic, it must have several characteristics. These include being able to:

Be isolated from a human.

Survive in your intestine after ingestion (being eaten).

Have a proven benefit to you.

Be safely consumed.

Where do Probiotics (microbes) mostly live in my body?

Though the most common place linked to beneficial microbes is your gut (mostly large intestines), you have several locations in and on your body that host good microbes. These locations are in contact with the “outside world" and include your:

Gut.

Mouth.

Vagina.

Urinary tract.

Skin.

Lungs.

How do Probiotics work?

The main job of probiotics, or good bacteria, is to maintain a healthy balance in your body. Think of it as keeping your body in neutral. When you are sick, bad bacteria enters your body and increases in number. This knocks your body out of balance. Good bacteria works to fight off the bad bacteria and restore the balance within your body, making you feel better.

Good bacteria keeps you healthy by supporting your immune function and controlling inflammation. Certain types of good bacteria can also:

• Help your body digest food.
• Keep bad bacteria from getting out of control and making you sick.
• Produce vitamins.
• Help support the cells that line your gut to prevent bad bacteria that you may have consumed (through food or drinks) from entering your blood.
• Breakdown and absorb medications.
• This balancing act is naturally happening in your body all of the time. You don’t actually need to take probiotic supplements to make it happen. Good bacteria is just a natural part of your body. Eating a well-balanced diet rich in fiber every day helps to keep the number of good bacteria at proper levels.

What are the common types of probiotic?

Though there are many types of bacteria that can be considered probiotics, there are two specific types of bacteria that are common probiotics found in stores. These include:

Lactobacillus.

Bifidobacterium.

Basilus Claussi ( Spore formation )

Probiotics are also made up of good yeast. The most common type of yeast found in probiotics is:

Saccharomyces boulardii.