Introduction Probiotics
The intestine is the engine of our health and its functions go far beyond the digestion of food. If things are not running smoothly there, our entire body loses strength and this affects the processes from head to toe, from the physical to the psychological level. Due to our modern lifestyle, we can only protect ourselves to a limited extent from industrially produced foods and toxic environmental influences. All of these influences have a direct effect on our intestines and this affects our general state of health in equal measure. This can manifest itself directly as classic digestive problems such as diarrhea, stomach pain or constipation, but also through bad skin, mood swings and weight gain. The intestinal microbiome, the composition of the "good" and "bad" bacteria that settle on the intestinal wall, plays an important role in this. It can be considered the center of our immune system and protects us from many diseases. healthy intestinal flora protects the intestinal mucous membranes, contributes to the improved absorption of vitamins and minerals and is responsible for the production of essential substances that we cannot absorb through our food. But as many functions as our intestinal flora has, it is unfortunately also highly vulnerable. Because it only functions through the smooth interaction of the different organisms and only in perfect symbiosis with the host - our body. The intestinal flora quickly becomes unbalanced, a dysbiosis, due to various influences. However, we can counteract this with the right habits and tools. Probiotics can take on this task excellently because they effectively help to bring the intestinal flora back into balance and ultimately keep it in this balance with regular intake. It is extremely important to pay close attention to the quality of the probiotics, to take them correctly and to eat a healthy diet to support them. You can find out more about the intestines, intestinal flora, microbiome and the crucial role of probiotics here.
What are probiotics?
According to the WHO definition, probiotics are living microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed in sufficient quantities.
How do probiotics get their name? “Pro bios” translated from Latin means “for life”, which corresponds pretty well to their function. Probiotics can only be called such if they meet the following four criteria:
- A proven health-promoting effect for the consumer
- The production of lactic acid and other substances with bacteriostatic or bactericidal effects
- They must survive the passage through the stomach and be able to reproduce in the intestine
- Evidence of genetic stability must be provided in order to exclude disease-causing mutations
Probiotics have been part of the human diet in the form of fermented foods for quite some time, not just recently. Today, they are also available over the counter in the form of dietary supplements in pharmacies, online, or in grocery stores.
Probiotics have the ability to attack pathogens in several ways. By colonizing the intestinal walls, they prevent pathogenic bacteria and toxins from entering the body through the intestinal wall.
These pathogens can be caused by some probiotic microorganisms thanks to antimicrobial effects they can also be killed directly.This happens by depriving them of their nutritional basis, whereby they convert carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids. Probiotics are the good bacteria that colonize the intestines and ensure that the intestinal flora remains healthy. If your intestinal flora is intact, your body is better able to absorb nutrients such as vitamins or enzymes from food. At the same time, your immune system is strengthened by the probiotics. intestinal bacteria strengthened.
It is important to know that probiotics can have an individual effect on each person and that there are also people for whom probiotics do not work at all. Why is that? Whether the good bacteria settle in the intestine depends on the original state of the respective microbiome and specific gene expression patterns in the gastrointestinal tract. In any case, however, probiotics must be administered regularly in order to achieve an active effect.
The best-known representatives of probiotics are lactobacilli (lactic acid bacteria), bifidobacteria and enterococci.
Sources:
https://www.supplementbibel.de/probiotikum-test/
https://www.darmflora-ratgeber.de/probiotika.html
What are prebiotics?
Prebiotics, also called prebiotics, are components of food that are not digestible. They are not living organisms, but fiberThey stimulate the activity of various types of bacteria in the intestine and can therefore have a positive effect on the intestinal flora. Most prebiotics are found in carbohydrates. Examples of these are fructo-, galacto- and soy oligosaccharides. The best-known prebiotic, however, is inulin.
Prebiotics serve as food for the bacteria in the intestine. bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli benefit from it (learn more about the individual bacterial strains later!). The intestinal bacteria are responsible for converting oligosaccharides into short-chain fatty acids. This lowers the pH value of the intestine and the environment becomes acidic. The good thing about prebiotics is that they pass through the small intestine largely undigested, which means that they can serve as a source of food for the good bacteria in the large intestine. If the intestinal flora is in balance, pathogenic bacteria are less likely to spread. Digestion also improves - intestinal sluggishness and constipation can be avoided. Prebiotics are dietary fiber. This means that there are other positive properties, such as improved absorption and utilization of calcium, lower blood sugar levels and a lower risk of colon cancer.
Source:
https://www.medikamente-per-klick.de/apotheke/ernaehrungslexikon/praebiotika/
What are synbiotics?
It's all in the mix! Probiotics alone bring many health benefits if we consume them in the right amounts - that is, enough of them. However, the best effect is achieved when a probiotic is combined with a prebiotic. This then results in a synbiotic (Latin syn = together, together). As the word implies, a synbiotic has significantly better effects on our intestinal microbiome than a probiotic or prebiotic taken individually.
side effects
In general, only extremely positive effects caused by probiotics are spoken of. Probiotics have positive effects on intestinal health, the digestive system, the cardiovascular system, the psyche and much more.But are there any side effects that can occur when taking it?
One thing must be noted here. There are a lot of different probiotic products on the market, which differ in their composition of different bacterial strains and ingredients. Due to the individual design of the products, very different effects and properties can emerge, so it is ultimately difficult to generalize about probiotics and their side effects. It also depends on the health of the person taking the product.
The most common side effects caused by probiotics are flatulence and/or diarrhea or constipation. However, this can also be a so-called “initial worsening” (see below). However, if the symptoms do not disappear after a few days or weeks, you should stop taking the medication. Ultimately, an initial worsening is a good sign, as it means that the bacterial strains you have taken have reached the intestines and are causing changes there. The initial worsening should generally not last longer than two weeks. If there is still no clear positive change after this time, it may be due to probiotic intolerance.
Excessive consumption (i.e. in much too large quantities) can also result in intestinal colonization or even confusion. Studies have shown that people who took many different probiotic preparations at the same time developed cognitive problems over time. In addition, an overdose over a longer period of time can lead to bacterial cultures settling in the small intestine. Colonization in the small intestine results in the formation of hydrogen and methane, which in turn can cause bloating and abdominal pain. The fact that the small intestinal colonization was ultimately responsible for the people's complaints became apparent when those affected stopped taking the probiotics and were treated with antibiotics, because in 70% of cases the gastrointestinal symptoms improved and in 85% the confusion disappeared completely.
In principle:
- Initial worsening: Initial symptoms such as bloating, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation may be an indication that the probiotics are working and causing changes in your digestive tract. This means in the long term - things will improve!
- Intolerance: If symptoms such as flatulence and/or diarrhea or constipation do not disappear after about two weeks, this is not an initial worsening, but possibly an intolerance. The medication should then be stopped or changed.
- Combination of different preparations: In particular, taking different preparations at the same time should be avoided unless specifically prescribed by a doctor or pharmacist.
Sources:
https://www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/2018-08/darmbesiedlung-probiotika-haben-nebenwirkungen/
https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/artikel/probiotika/probiotika-und-ihre-nebenwirkungen-810802
Ending
In this journal article, we have compiled all the important information about the structure of the intestine, your very individual and unique microbiome and the intestinal flora, so that you can understand all the background information about our products.
You also learned more about what probiotics and prebiotics are and the reasons for taking them. We have critically listed the different forms of taking probiotics to make it easier for you to make the right choice.To make it easier for you to understand exactly how the individual bacteria in your intestines work and what these little helpers are responsible for, we have briefly explained the three most important ones.
If you weren't quite sure whether taking probiotics is right for you and when you should take them at all, then we hope we were able to answer this question in our journal entry.
On the one hand, we have shown which foods you can use to support your microbiome and promote your general health.
We really hope that we have been able to answer many of your questions and that you now have a complete overview of the topic of intestinal health and probiotics. If you still have questions or there are topics that have not been explained in enough detail, please feel free to contact us via support@mybacs.com We will do our best to answer all your questions!
