Probiotic Products: Types And Features Of Intake

The cells of the human body are 10 trillion, and the microbiota are 100 trillion. The human body carries 20,000 genes, while the microbiota carries 20 million. The number of microorganisms exceeds 10 times the number of our body's own cells, amounting to 2-3 kilograms of body weight - that is, it turns out that there is a unique ecosystem inside our body!

So, in the intestines there are trillions of living microorganisms that make up the microbiota or, in other words, the intestinal flora. Microorganisms “break in” into our body from the moment of birth, when the fetus passes through the birth canal of the mother. As a result of this, a cascade of reactions is launched inside the child's gastrointestinal tract - the intestinal microflora begins to line up.

General concepts and classification of the microworld

Let's start with the basic concepts:

The microbiome is the totality of the genes of all microorganisms that are in symbiosis with the human body.

Microbiota - the totality of all microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminths and protozoa) that are in symbiosis with the human body. The following types are distinguished:

• Translucent - located in the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract, does not interact with the mucous membrane. The substrate for its life activity is insoluble dietary fiber, on which it is fixed. Its composition can change under the influence of the diet.

• Parietal (mucosal) - lives in the parietal mucus of the gastrointestinal tract, forming a microbial-tissue complex, which is represented by a biological film, epithelial cells and immune cells. The substrate for its life activity is soluble dietary fiber. Its composition does not change and is inherited. A person is recommended to eat 30 grams of fiber per day - this will be equivalent to a combination of 50 grams of pine nuts, 100 grams of avocado, 100 grams of Brussels sprouts, 100 grams of buckwheat and 100 grams of green beans. As a rule, today in the human diet there is a lack of dietary fiber.

Normal microflora (microbiota) is a qualitative and quantitative ratio in individual organs and systems of various populations of microbes that maintain the biochemical, metabolic and immune balance of the macroorganism necessary to maintain human health.

Many of the microorganisms present in the gut are considered “beneficial bacteria” and have great potential, performing many vital functions:

• They support immune function by providing antiviral and bacteriostatic effects - stop the growth of fungi, fight pathogenic microorganisms (for example, salmonella and dysenteric shigella).

• Contribute to the normal absorption of nutrients - intestinal bacteria stimulate peristalsis and secrete special enzymes, enhance the breakdown of macronutrients - proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

• Maintain normal blood lipid composition.

• Increase the absorption of trace elements: sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, phosphorus, chlorine.

• Able to synthesize essential vitamins in small quantities - B1, B2, B3 B5, B6, B9 B12, B15 K2, C, H and vitamin-like substances - inositol, choline.

• Participate in the synthesis of essential amino acids.

• They are able, like the liver, to carry out the process of detoxification of the body: only in the liver do oxidation and synthesis reactions occur with the formation of water-soluble products, and in the intestine - hydrolysis and recovery. They help to remove dangerous toxic compounds from the body with feces: salts of heavy metals, nitrites, mutagens, xenobiotics.

• Responsible for water-salt and heat exchanges.

• They participate in the synthesis of important neurotransmitters - serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA and hormone-like compounds that control metabolism.

• Maintain the normal condition of the intestinal mucosa.

Along with the normal microflora, there are opportunistic and pathogenic flora in our body:

• Conditionally pathogenic microorganisms include the families of yeast-like fungi Candida, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterobacteria - they are in symbiosis with our body only if all systems work together. When something happens inside us, a failure occurs - a focus of inflammation, poor nutrition, long-term use of medicines, a high toxic load - the opportunistic flora begins to actively grow and cause damage to our body.

• Pathogenic flora include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia - these are the causative agents of serious infections and normally they do not occur in the intestine.

Based on the above functions of the microbiome, we can conclude that with its imbalance, pathological symptoms will be observed in many body systems - in the digestive, immune, vascular, hormonal, musculoskeletal, detoxification, skin condition, vitamin status, homeostasis and even psychological health.

Probiotics - another fashion trend or a necessity

The state of the intestinal microflora is affected by a person's lifestyle, his diet, bad habits, sleep and wakefulness, medication, stress levels and intestinal infections.

We often hear the phrases of older people that “we used to eat everything in a row and didn’t get sick with anything, but now there is a fashion for a restrictive type of diet,” but if we analyze the diet of our ancient ancestors, you can find a huge amount of probiotics in their diet. They ate fresh food grown on fertile soil rich in various trace elements. They also thoroughly prepared for the cold seasons - they fermented products to support the gastrointestinal tract with healthy dishes during the cold season.

Who controls eating habits: our brain or intestines

Eating habits also depend on our microcosm. If we often want:

• Fat, then, probably, active growth of pathogenic Clostridium, Eggerthella Lenta and opportunistic fungi occurs in the intestine.

• Fast carbohydrates - pathogenic Ruminococcus and opportunistic fungi.

• Chemicals - Rodococcus.

• And fatty, and carbohydrates, and in general a large amount of food - helminths and protozoa.

• Sour and dietary fiber - normal Lactobacterium, Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium, Prevotella, Propionobacterium.

Bacteria have 5 main classes, they can include both normal and pathogenic microorganisms:

1. Firmicutes.

2. Actinobacteria.

3. Bacteroides.

4. Proteobacteria.

5. Tenericutes.

If we use a lot of red meat and eggs in the diet, then the ratio between 5 types of bacteria is in the direction of FIRMICUTES - and they begin to actively synthesize trimethylamine from red meat carnitine and egg choline, which in its oxidized form aggressively affects the vascular endothelium. As a result, inflammation of the vessel and endothelial dysfunction occur - a trigger for cardiovascular diseases appears.

If we use a lot of vegetables in the diet, then the ratio between 5 types of bacteria shifts towards BACTEROIDETES + ACTINEBACTERIA - and they begin, for example, to produce the substance sulforaphane from cabbage glucoraphan, which accelerates the detoxification process and reduces the risk of oncology.

In addition to an imbalance in the microbiota, residents of a metropolis can suffer from irritable bowel syndrome - it can develop both as a result of a violation of the microbiome, and as a result of frequent inflammatory diseases, the use of food intolerances and high levels of stress.

Gut microbiome diagnostics

The main symptoms that indicate intestinal problems are:

• Bloating.

• Sounds of gurgling in the intestines.

• Lump in throat when swallowing food.

• Alternating rare and frequent stools, a sharp urge to defecate.

• Change in the nature of the stool.

• Headache.

• Decreased appetite and suppression of digestion.

• Fatigue and lack of energy.

• Plaque on the tongue.

Microbiota research methods include:

• Analysis of feces for dysbacteriosis shows the qualitative and quantitative composition of the bacterial and fungal luminal flora.

• PCR diagnostics of feces provides a qualitative assessment of individual representatives of the luminal microbiota.

• 16S-RNA sequencing of bacterial genes will study the luminal flora and identify 3 types of gut based on eating habits: Prevotella in vegetarians, Bacteroides in meat eaters, and Ruminococcus in sweet tooth.

• Biochemical analysis of feces shows the presence of short-chain fatty acids of various serotypes of bacteria, viruses and fungi.

• Immuno-serological studies - immunoglobulins of classes A, M, G (antibodies) to individual representatives of helminths, protozoa, bacteria, viruses and fungi.

• GCMS - to analyze the composition of the microbiota, the scientist Georgy Alekseevich Osipov came up with a special method of mass spectrometry of microbial markers - this is a qualitative-quantitative test that determines the metabolites of microorganisms in the blood. It allows you to determine the genus and type of composition of the association of microorganisms. Thanks to this, it became possible to control the composition of the parietal intestinal microbiota and correct it: to populate the missing strains or inhibit pathogenic ones.

What can the CMS according to Osipov tell us - a brief reminder:

• Dysbiosis, irritable bowel syndrome - almost always lack of Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Bifidobacterium and Clostridium propionicum (up to 7-10-fold reduction) and overgrowth of Streptococcus, Bacteroides fragilis, Porphyromonas, Propionibacterium acnes.

• Mycosis is an excess of Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium propionicum and Clostridium perfringens. Below normal levels of many bacteria, including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

• Impossibility of conception - excess of Clostridium perfringens, Helicobacter pylori, Streptomyces, Eubacterium.

• Seborrheic dermatitis - deficiency of Lactobacillus and many markers of clostridial group C. ramosum.

• In acne, there is a deficiency of Lactobacillus, an overgrowth of clostridia of the C. ramosum group, Bifidobacterium, Herpes viruses and propionic bacteria.

• Atopic dermatitis - deficiency of Bifidobacterium, excess of Eubacterium, Propinibacerium freudenreichii, Nocardia.

• In septic conditions, fevers of unknown origin, 2-fold excess of Staphylococcus, Clostridium ramosum, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Eubacterium lentum (Eggertellalenta) and Candida yeast markers.

• Pyelonephritis - Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Clostridium hystolyticum, C. ramosum and C. Propionicum; gut-specific, Alcaligenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Moraxella.

Probiotics: types, selection criteria and features of admission

With the development of integrative medicine, experts have begun to think about how to nourish our body with supplements containing probiotic strains.

As a rule, there are two main types of probiotics - bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. They are the most available in both probiotic products and nutritional supplements. There are many specific strains of probiotics, for example:

1. Bacillus coagulans

2. Bacillus subtilis

3. Bifidobacterium bifidum

4. Bacillus clausii

5. Lactobacillus plantarum

6. Lactobacillus fermentum

7. Lactobacillus reuteri

8. lactobacillus acidophilus

9. Lactobacillus gasseri

10. Lactobacillus rhamnosus

11. Lactobacillus sporogenes

12. Saccharomyces boulardii

When choosing a probiotic, you need to pay attention to its safety, proven clinical efficacy, properties of capsules (enteric-soluble), high concentration of microorganisms (from 10 billion, since only 5% of probiotic supplements reach the large intestine), polycomponent (2-8 strains), spectrum of action , expiration date and storage conditions.

Please note that the benefits of probiotics from one probiotic strain may be completely different from those of another probiotic. If you want to use probiotics for a specific health problem, you need to choose the right probiotic – and for general microflora support, you can get a wide variety of probiotics from your diet. For this, it is not necessary to consume sour-milk products. In case of lactose intolerance, you can replace them with other probiotic products.

Taking probiotic strains has proven effective in the following cases:

• immunodeficiency states.

• Rotavirus infections.

• Diarrhea, constipation, colitis, bowel dysfunction, irritable bowel syndrome.

• Taking antibiotics and hormone therapy.

• Urogenital diseases.

• Allergies.

• Stress and depression.

• Atopic dermatitis.

• During the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

When is the best time to take a probiotic? Most experts recommend that adults and children take the probiotic on an empty stomach, about 15-30 minutes before breakfast, for 3 weeks. This encapsulated, acid-stable probiotic supplement can quickly reach the digestive tract without getting stuck in the stomach along with breakfast food.

Side effects can include diarrhea if you start taking the probiotic too quickly and in large amounts. Start slowly, with a small concentration of the supplement or a teaspoon of the product, gradually increasing the dose.

Contraindications to taking probiotics are immunodeficiency conditions such as AIDS, HIV, oncological lesions of the circulatory and lymphatic systems, leading to an increased likelihood of infection in the body. Do not forget about the individual characteristics of the body, because a person may be allergic to some of the components of the probiotic, which are part of it.

Top 15 Foods Rich in Probiotics

1. Tempe.

2. Miso soup.

3. Natto.

4. Buttermilk.

5. Kombucha (kombucha).

6. Apple vinegar.

7. Kimchi.

8. Homemade kvass.

9. Fermented foods (radish, lemon, garlic).

10. Sauerkraut.

11. Pickles are pickled cucumbers.

12. Aged gouda cheese, cheddar.

13. Yogurt.

14. Kefir.

15. Homemade yogurt.

How are probiotics different from prebiotics

Prebiotics are essential for the growth of probiotic bacteria. High-quality probiotic supplements contain both prebiotics and other ingredients designed to support digestion and immunity. Examples of such ingredients are flaxseeds, chia, astragalus, ashwagandha, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, milk thistle, peas, ginger, mung beans, and turmeric.

That is, prebiotics are coarse fiber, which is food for probiotics. It is not absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract, but is fermented by the microflora of the large intestine, stimulating the growth and vital activity of representatives of the normal microflora. This is possible due to the presence in the genome of these bacteria of genes encoding carbohydrate enzymes.

Top 15 Foods Rich in Prebiotics

1. Onions and leeks.

2. Garlic.

3. Asparagus.

4. Dandelion root.

5. Chicory.

6. Jerusalem artichoke.

7. Burdock root.

8. Psyllium.

9. Orchard apples.

10. Artichoke.

11. Tomatoes.

12. Beans.

13. Turnip.

14. Pumpkin.

15. Lemon.

Do children need probiotics?

Taking probiotics is effective not only for adults, but also for children. So, in the journal Pediatrics, a study appeared confirming that daily probiotic supplements for 6 months in children aged 3-5 years reduced the incidence of symptoms of SARS, such as: high fever, runny nose and cough.

Another interesting study confirmed the effectiveness of probiotic yogurt in preventing antibiotic-induced diarrhea. Children aged 1-12 years, during antibiotic therapy, received 200 grams per day of either probiotic yogurt containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), Bifidobacterium lactis (Bb-12) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (La-5), or pasteurized yogurt. And as a result, it turned out that the above combination of probiotics is an effective way to reduce the frequency of intestinal complications due to the use of antibiotics.

Such yogurt can be prepared at home on your own - with cow's milk or completely lactose-free (with coconut, almond milk or cashew nuts).

Lactose Free Probiotic Yogurt Recipe

Ingredients:

• 250 grams of cashew nuts;

• 200-250 ml of water;

• 2 capsules of probiotics (Lactobacillus);

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Inventory:

• blender;

• Sterilized jar;

• Gauze.

Cooking:

• Soak cashews for 6 hours, rinse well, place them in a blender, add water. First add 200 ml of water and adjust the density at your own discretion.

• Next, you need to open the probiotic capsule and pour the contents into the blender bowl. Add lemon juice and blend in a blender until smooth and silky.

• Then pour the resulting yogurt into a pre-sterilized jar (you can just wash it well and pour over with boiling water), cover with gauze and put in a warm place for 6-8 hours.

• Ready! Shelf life in the refrigerator up to 5 days.