Probiotics live in the gastrointestinal tract and are called “friendly bacteria” as opposed to “bad bacteria.” Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be taken as a food supplement. When taken as a health supplement, they are used to help restore the population of good bacteria in the intestinal tract. They are similar to those found naturally in the gastrointestinal tract. There are different types of probiotics, and each one operates in a different capacity. Working together, they contribute to a person’s health and help prevent disease.
The purposes of friendly bacteria are many. They help digest, absorb, and metabolize food. They help eliminate toxins. They strengthen the immune system and thus help protect against microorganisms that could cause disease. There are actually around 400 types of probiotic bacteria in the human digestive tract. A well-known probiotic, Lactobacillus acidophilus, is found in live-cultured yogurt. Sometimes people eat yogurt in order to increase their intake of this probiotic. However, for this to be effective, it has to be a live culture yogurt. Pasteurization kills probiotics with heat.
When people experience digestive upsets, one thing they can try to improve digestion is to increase their intake of probiotics. This can be done through supplementation. The increased probiotics can help prevent diarrhea, cramps, and gas. They can also be useful in cases of vaginal candidiasis and urinary tract infections. When antibiotics are taken, they kill both good and bad bacteria, so taking probiotics helps build and balance the natural flora that should be in the intestines. Other benefits of probiotics may include preventing infections in the digestive tract, helping control inflammation, and helping with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ongoing studies are being done on probiotics and their benefits.
Probiotics taken as supplements supplement what is already occurring naturally in the digestive tract. Various groups of people around the world have made probiotics a natural part of their diet with certain live foods that they create and eat. These are particularly cultured dairy products such as yogurt, acidophilus milk and kefir. Other foods with probiotics include sauerkraut, Korean kimchi, miso soup, fermented soft cheese like gouda, sourdough bread, sour pickles, tempeh, and probiotic supplements. If that list got your digestive juices going, it may be because your body is telling you to think about more probiotics. Probiotics are considered a type of food. If you have any questions about probiotics, you should direct them to your doctor or primary health care provider.