Probiotics – what should we know about them?

Recently, more and more people write and talk about the health of our intestines. Recent years have brought us a number of new discoveries regarding the influence of human intestinal microflora on our health and illness.

Bacteria living in our intestines can potentially affect the condition and functioning of other systems and organs. It turns out that not only vitamins, but also probiotics in supplement form support the development of normal microbiota, and if it is disrupted, they help reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms and restore the balance between strains.

Briefly about intestinal microflora

There is no doubt that healthy gut bacterial flora is the foundation of a strong immune system. Contrary to what it may seem, the work of our intestines is not limited only to digestive processes. Unfortunately, few people still realize that the intestinal microbiota has a profound impact on the functioning of our entire body.

Intestinal microorganisms beneficial to humans include, among other things:

• produce B vitamins;
• fight pathogenic viruses, bacteria and fungi;
• produce short-chain fatty acids.

They also have beneficial effects on mitochondrial health and help regulate our metabolism, such as improving insulin sensitivity in people struggling with overweight or obesity.

It’s also worth noting that our gut microbiome has a dominant influence on our well-being – the gut is connected to the brain via the vagus nerve, which is the longest nerve in our body, so whatever happens in our gut will have an impact on our psyche and vice versa.

Probiotics – which ones should you choose?

It’s worth noting at the outset that for supplements to be effective, you should choose products that contain at least 10 billion colonies (10 billion CFU). A good probiotic should be resistant to stomach acid and bile salts.

In addition, the strains present in this preparation must have the ability to nest in the intestinal mucosa. It’s also worth noting that people with SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) should be cautious about including prebiotics in their formula, as prebiotics are usually harmful.

Prebiotics are substances that bacteria feed on (in a broad sense). The most popular prebiotics in probiotic supplements include: fructose, FOS (fructooligosaccharides), GOS (galactooligosaccharides), fructans, and alcohol sugars (polyols).

Preparations containing prebiotics and probiotics can be used (prophylactically) in healthy people. To treat a pre-existing digestive disorder, this combination may only make symptoms worse.