Probiotics: what they are, what they are used for and cHow to take them

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in the gut and improve the overall health of the body, bringing benefits such as facilitating digestion and nutrient absorption, and strengthening the immune system. 

When the intestinal flora is not in balance, which often happens after the use of antibiotics or when you do not have a healthy and balanced diet, the gut ends up being populated by bad bacteria, which do not help the immune system and leave the body susceptible to disease. 

What probiotics are good for

The main benefits of probiotics are:

Fighting and preventing intestinal diseases such as colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and intestinal inflammation;

Fighting diseases such as cancer, candidiasis, hemorrhoids and urinary tract infection.

Improve digestion and combat acidity;

Combat constipation and diarrhea, regulating intestinal transit;

Increase the absorption of nutrients, such as vitamin B, calcium and iron;

Strengthen the immune system, by increasing the production of macrophages, a defense cells of the body;

Prevent the proliferation of bad bacteria in the intestine;

Help digest lactose, especially in people with intolerance to this component;

Prevent problems such as obesity, high cholesterol and hypertension;

Prevent allergies and food intolerances;

Help improve mood, as a direct relationship has been found between the balance of intestinal flora with a decrease in diseases such as depression and anxiety;

They could help improve conditions such as autism, as some studies seem to indicate that there are improvements not only at the gastrointestinal level but also at the behavioral level, improving the ability to concentrate and listen.

A healthy intestinal flora rich in probiotics begins to form from birth, especially when the baby is born by normal delivery and when it is exclusively breastfed during the beginning of life.

How to take probiotics

There are two main ways to ingest probiotics: through increased consumption of foods that are considered natural probiotics, such as yogurt or kefir, for example and; the other way, is through the use of supplements with probiotics.

1. Probiotic foods

Probiotic-rich foods are:

Plain yogurt: are the main and easiest source of probiotics on the market, but there are also flavored yogurt versions that keep the beneficial bacteria alive;

Kefir: is a fermented product with yeast and bacteria, similar to yogurt, but has a higher amount of probiotics. See more about kefir;

Fermented milk: are special products that usually contain Lactobacillus added by industry, Yakult being the most famous;

Kombucha: is a fermented beverage made mainly from black tea. See how to prepare it;

Oriental products based on soy, legumes and vegetables such as Miso, Natto, Kimchi and Tempeh that can be purchased in specialized stores;

Sauerkraut: is a culinary preparation that is made through the fermentation of fresh cabbage or cabbage leaves. Learn more about this food;

Pickles: is a preparation where cucumbers are placed in water and salt and left to ferment for a while;

Sourdough or natural yeast: is a live culture composed of yeast and bacteria that are produced through the fermentation of cereals such as wheat and microorganisms found naturally in the environment, being used to make various products such as bread, cakes and cookies. See how to prepare bread with this leaven.

In addition to this, some cheeses may also contain live cultures of microorganisms with probiotic properties, being important to read the nutritional labeling to confirm whether or not that type of cheese contains these bacteria.

Learn more about probiotic foods in the video below:

To maintain healthy gut flora, it is advised to consume at least 1 probiotic source food per day, especially after the use of antibiotics that end up affecting healthy gut flora. 

2. Probiotic supplements

In addition to food, probiotics can also be consumed as supplements and there are several presentations: capsules, liquids or sachets, which must be diluted in water or natural juices to be consumed.

Some trade names are: Lacteol Fort, Liolactil, Lactipan Pediatric, Reuteri drops by Biogaia, Vavig, Floraplus Eptavis, Glutapak R, Microbiot and Pro-T-Flor, and can be found in pharmacies and nutritional stores.

There are several types of supplements, which include between 1 to 10 different types of probiotics. The most important ones are usually:

Bifidobacteria animalis: helps strengthen the immune system, as well as facilitating digestion and fighting bacteria transmitted by the ingestion of contaminated food;

Bifidobacteria bifidum: are present in the small and large intestine, aiding in the digestion of dairy products;

Bifidobacteria breve: are present in the intestine and vaginal tract helping to fight bacterial and fungal infections;

Bifidobacteria longum: is one of the most common types of probiotics in the intestine and helps eliminate toxins from the body;

Lactobacillus acidophilus: is perhaps the most important type of probiotics, as it aids in the absorption of various nutrients, as well as fighting infections and aiding digestion. L. acidophilus are also present in the vagina, helping to fight infections;

Lactobacillus reuteri: are present especially in the mouth, stomach and small intestine, being important against Helicobacter pylori infection;

Lactobacillus rhamnosus: are present in the intestine and can help to quickly fight cases of diarrhea, especially when traveling to other countries. It can also help treat acne, eczema and candida;

Lactobacillus fermentum: help neutralize products and toxins released during digestion, improving the environment for the growth of intestinal flora;

Saccharomyces boulardii: help treat antibiotic or traveler’s diarrhea.

The greater the diversity of probiotics, as well as the number of bacteria within each tablet, the better the supplement will be, as it will facilitate the balance and faster development of healthy gut flora.

How they should be ingested: it is recommended that the supplement has between 2 to 10 billion active bacteria, being important to read the product label that should indicate the amount of organisms per dose, what type of bacteria it has because it is important to choose the one that is best according to the problem to be treated and in what dose it should be taken.

It is important to try the supplement for about 4 weeks, in case there is no improvement during this period, the ideal would be to try another different supplement. Probiotics should be ingested before or after a meal, so that the food helps the bacteria to survive the gastric acid and reach the intestine, where they can multiply more easily.

It is important to remember that in addition to the consumption of probiotics in the form of supplements or foods rich in these bacteria, it is also important to maintain a healthy diet rich in fiber, since fiber is the main food for probiotics, favoring their survival in the intestine.

Probiotics in children

According to several scientific studies probiotics could provide various benefits in children, mainly in cases of diarrhea, intestinal colic or in specific conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, for example.

However, as a daily supplement, there is still not enough scientific evidence about it, so it is unknown what their side effects could be. For this reason, the ideal is that in any specific situation, the pediatrician should be consulted to indicate whether the use of a probiotic is necessary and which would be the most appropriate for the child.

One way to include probiotics in the daily diet of the little ones is through the intake of yogurts with active bifides, either in snacks, breakfasts or to prepare a fruit smoothie, for example, thus helping them to maintain their healthy intestinal flora. 

Difference between prebiotics and probiotics

While probiotics are healthy bacteria that inhabit the gut, prebiotics are fibers that serve as food for probiotics and support their survival and proliferation in the gut.

Some examples of natural prebiotics are oats, onions, garlic, green plantain and green plantain biomass. See more about prebiotics.