Introduction;
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are needed to provide health benefits, especially by restoring the gut flora and take charge of other intestinal functions. Rich-in probiotics foods and supplementations are getting very popular these days due to its potential to promote general health by improving the intestinal one.
Why its important?
But why these probiotics are so important? Well, several theories try to explain why probiotics are so important for our health (1, 2, 3).
The most accurate theory is the one that considers their contribution to intestinal food metabolism. These live and safe microorganisms help us humans to degrade foods in smaller nutrients so enzymes can act and prepare those elements to be absorbed by intestinal cells. Through the absorption of these metabolized nutrients, our whole body has sufficient energy to perform at optimal capacities and go through life without any hesitation.
Besides this, proper absorption of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients that come from food and supplementation is achieved only by having a gastrointestinal system in a healthy state. Probiotics play an important role in achieving this.
Health Benefits:
Another important function provided is the regulation and modification of harmful microbiota, preventing the development of diverse intestinal diseases and medical conditions, which will be explained more ahead. Experts believe that approximately 70% of our immune system is regulated through the intestinal flora. If necessary probiotics are provided to the gut flora, these will help you to build a stronger and more resistant immune system (3, 4, 5).
There has been enough investigation that assures the consumption of probiotics is beneficial for patients suffering from antibiotic-associated or infectious diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), lactose intolerance, pouchitis, and others. Its use is also recommended for premature babies at risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).
But probiotics not only are useful to treat gastrointestinal diseases. New researches found that improving the gut microbiome could affect positively mental wellbeing through the gut-brain axis. This is a bidirectional communication system in which certain impulses go back and forth from the intestines and the brain. These communications are also modulated through hormones, immune molecules, and nerve signals, making these two organs the most closely connected of the human body (3, 6, 7, 8).
Several studies have found that probiotics consumption may help patients with Parkinson´s disease, Autism spectrum, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), among others.
There is also a theory that takes into consideration the fact that the gut flora could affect human relationships by regulating the immune system and connecting properly with some people while producing alterations with others. These alterations or interferences could be explained by the fact that while communicating or interacting with other people, human beings expel microorganisms into each other.
If these microorganisms are similar, the people involved will not be affected, developing a healthy relationship. While on the other hand, if these microorganisms are not similar, the people involved will be affected, developing unhealthy relationships that could lead to general discomfort.
The latest study, despite what you might have heard, does not mean that probiotics are harmful or ineffective for anyone. The findings, however, indicate that depending on your diet, genetics, microbiome and other aspects of your health, you will react very differently to the same probiotic product compared to someone else. Probiotics are available as foods or dietary supplements currently on the market. To date, the FDA has not approved any probiotic products to treat, cure or prevent serious conditions.
Summary:
Knowing all of their benefits, the consumption of probiotics, nowadays, has more importance than ever if factors, such as environmental pollution, herbicides, frequent traveling, excessive stress, drug treatments with antibiotics, and regular consumption of convenience food are considered, being all elements capable of sweep a major part of the human´s microbiota, affecting general health and leading to multiple diseases.