Become a Probiotic Pro!

According to the World Health Organization, probiotics are "live microorganisms" which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. It is important to make the distinction between probiotic bacteria and other commensal bacteria that do not necessarily confer health benefits to the host. Probiotics should also be distinguished from live vaccines, fecal enemas, and genetically engineered bacteria using a probiotic platform. 

Probiotics can contribute to natural health intestinal flora for general digestive health or can be used for specific indications such as preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea in adults or managing the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

How Probiotic Work

The World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) Guidelines state that probiotics affect the intestinal ecosystem by stimulating mucosal immune and non-immune mechanisms through antagonism/competition with potential pathogens. Proposed mechanisms of beneficial probiotic/host interactions include: activation of local macrophages, modulation of cytokine profiles, induction of hyporesponsiveness to food antigens, digestion of food and competition for nutrients with pathogens, alteration of local pH, production of bacteriocins, scavenging of superoxide radicals, stimulation of epithelial mucin production, enhancement of intestinal barrier function, competition with pathogens for adhesion, and modification of pathogen-derived toxins.

What are Probiotics?

There are as many as 100 trillion bacteria belonging to more than 1000 species in the intestinal flora. The beneficial bacterial strains aid digestion through the products of enzymes, stimulate the immune system, produce antimicrobial substances, and compete against invading micro-organisms.

Probiotics help fortify the population of beneficial bacteria in the intestine, which promotes a proportionately health balance in the microflora, allowing it to assume its functions in the digestive and immune systems.

The intestinal flora represents a first line of defense against microbes and other infectious germs. The bacteria of the flora temporarily adhere to the intestinal wall and reinforce this physical barrier to pathogens and preventing them from adhering while also competing directly with them for the nutrients found there.

Lactic acid bacteria produce organic acids that contribute to a low intestinal pH level, bacteriocins, and hydrogen peroxide, all of which actively discourage the propagation, growth, and survival of pathogens.

A Word on Colony-Forming Units (CFU)

Probiotics are measured in colony forming units (CFU) which are the measure of live microbes in a probiotic. The CFU count in a product serving or dose should be the same as that shown to be effective in clinical studies.

The required does of probiotics varies greatly depending on strain or combination of strains and what specific health effect is targeted. There in no minimum or maximum number of bacteria that must be ingested to obtain a beneficial effect as different probiotics have been show to be effective at different levels. Hence, it is not possible to provide a "standard dose" for all probiotics as health benefits for products range from 50 million to more than 1 trillion CFU/day.

The dosage is not the same for all probiotics. Different strains have been shown to be effective at different levels, hence probiotic effects should be considered strain and dose-specific based on human studies showing a health benefit.

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