Probiotics – The gut biome research

So what are probiotics?

Probiotics are living micro organisms also known as bacteria that are similar to the ones which live within your gut, primarily your colon and can impact the health of the individual. Bacteria in your gut both good and bad contributes to your own individual microbiome.

Probiotic research is still in its infancy, yet there has been plenty of research to suggest that probiotics can have a significantly beneficial effect on your physical and mental well being. The health of your gut seems to be one of the biggest things that impacts your health. The microbiome within our gut seems to be affected by how we live and how we eat, how we feeding the good bacteria, not taking good bacteria busting drugs like antibiotics, managing our stress, and limiting our alcohol and sugar consumption. There have been some studies that suggest alterations in the microbiome can have links to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, anxiety and depression.

In the case of ill health or digestive complaints certain benefits of probiotics can be witnessed.

How do probiotics benefit us?

1. Probiotics help support the immune system and fight off pathogens. When you have more good bacteria it can help suppress the bad bacteria by taking up “the space” that these bad bacteria would have otherwise occupied. So by consuming good bacteria, you can reduce the effect of the bad bacteria on the cells in your body.
2. They also help produce acids like lactic acid which help with the PH and minerals in the digestive tract, which in turn helps lower your blood sugars, and decrease inflammation.
3. Probiotics may help you make or absorb vitamins like B12, biotin and vitamin K. Without these probiotic microbes, vitamin deficiencies may be more likely which in turn could lead to other health complications.
4. Probiotics help you recycle bile, the ‘detergent’ that helps you break down ingested fats. After being stored in the gall bladder, this bile is then recycled through the intestines, partly by the microbiome system, if there aren’t any good microbes to do this, you may be bile acid deficient which can lead to other health complications.
5. Probiotics can also help detoxify any chemical or poisons that might be present in the body and keep them at a minimal level that will not cause interruption to your health.
6. One of the most common complaints that doctors hear related to the gut are IBS related symptoms, such as cramping, diarrhoea, constipation, and bloating. Probiotics can help reduce these symptoms.

Can your diet assist your healthy gut bacteria?

By eating prebiotic foods, the foods that feed the healthy gut bacteria, you can help your microbiome system maintain a great balance of good bacteria. Prebiotic foods like garlic, onion, sweet potato and other high fibre foods like vegetable, legumes and nuts are great for doing this. Probiotics like sauerkraut, kefir, live yoghurt and Yakult can be purchased as supplements for those that are unable or do not get enough good bacteria from their foods.

For people who do not experience any ill health or digestive complaints, there is lack of research to suggest that these individuals should increase their probiotic intake with supplements that you might get in the shops, whereas those with complaints might benefit from a supplement added to their diet. Each individual has their own unique microbiome and although general benefits of probiotics can be witnessed, it is important that each individuals’ health is assessed and the affect of probiotics on their micro biome considered.

With there being more bacteria in our body than there are human cells, we can only wait in anticipation as scientists delve into this area of research and develop a greater understanding of the relationship between the microbiome and the rest the human body, and how this can be beneficially affected by probiotics and prebiotics.