![]() ![]() This is because the antibiotics kill many of the natural bacteria in your gut, which shifts the gut balance and allows harmful bacteria to thrive. When people take antibiotics, especially for long periods of time, they often experience diarrhea - even long after the infection has been eradicated. Probiotics are widely researched for their effects on digestive health ( 30).Įvidence suggests that probiotic supplements can help cure antibiotic-associated diarrhea ( 31). These microorganisms perform numerous important bodily functions. Your gut flora consists of hundreds of types of microorganisms. Probiotics and prebiotic fibers can help correct this balance, ensuring that your “forgotten organ” is functioning optimally ( 29). These diseases are thought to include obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, colorectal cancer, Alzheimer’s, and depression ( 25, 26, 27, 28). Your gut flora is highly sensitive to your diet, and studies show that an unbalanced gut flora is linked to numerous diseases ( 23, 24). This can help prevent unwanted substances from entering your body and provoking an immune response ( 21, 22). These fats also stimulate your immune system and strengthen your gut wall. It also turns fibers into short-chain fats like butyrate, propionate, and acetate, which feed your gut wall and perform many metabolic functions ( 19, 20). It manufactures vitamins, including vitamin K and some of the B vitamins ( 18). Your gut flora performs many important health functions. For this reason, some scientists refer to the gut flora as the “forgotten organ” ( 17). Surprisingly, the metabolic activities of your gut flora resemble those of an organ. Most of the gut flora is found in your colon, or large intestine, which is the last part of your digestive tract. Your gut is home to a complex eco-system of 300–500 bacterial species ( 16). The gut microbiota includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea, and helminths - with bacteria comprising the vast majority. The complex community of microorganisms in your gut is called the gut flora, gut microbiota, or gut microbiome ( 14, 15). Importance of microorganisms for your gut There are many different types, and you can obtain them from foods or supplements. Probiotics are living microorganisms that boost health when consumed in adequate amounts. Some researchers warn about possible negative effects from the “dark side” of probiotics and call for caution and strict regulation ( 12, 13). Some supplements, known as broad-spectrum probiotics or multi-probiotics, combine different species in the same product.Īlthough the evidence is promising, more research is needed on the health benefits of probiotics. Therefore, choosing the right type - or types - of probiotics is essential. On labels, you’ll see probiotics identified by their specific strain (which includes the genus), the species, subspecies if there is one, and a letter-number strain code ( 11).ĭifferent probiotics have been found to address different health conditions. Other common kinds are Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia, and Bacillus.Įach genus comprises different species, and each species has many strains. The most common probiotic bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. Synbiotic products usually combine friendly bacteria along with some food for the bacteria to eat (the prebiotics), all in one supplement ( 10). Products that contain both prebiotics and probiotics are referred to as synbiotics. Probiotics should not be confused with prebiotics, which are carbs - often dietary fibers - that help feed the friendly bacteria already in your gut ( 9). Probiotic foods include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, and kimchi. ![]() You can get probiotics from supplements, as well as from foods prepared by bacterial fermentation. There are also other microorganisms in the gut that are being studied, including viruses, fungi, archaea, and helminths ( 8). Probiotics are usually bacteria, but certain types of yeasts can also function as probiotics. However, the scientific community often disagrees on what the benefits are, as well as which strains of bacteria are responsible ( 7). Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when ingested, provide a health benefit ( 6).
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