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The term probiotics is popping up in grocery stores, news articles, and conversation. While it has an eerie sound that brings connotations of biotic super heroes, this term refers to tiny friendly microorganisms that provide support for the beneficial bacteria that inhabit our intestinal tracts. Probiotics, as defined by the Farm and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, are live microorganisms which may confer a health benefit to individuals
As more people take note of probiotics, “scientists are learning more each day about the role of microbes in keeping people healthy and the multitude of health benefits associated with consuming the right type and levels of probiotic microbes,” says the California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF).
Our bodies are made up of living cells that interact with each other. At any given time, there are a large number of bacteria within our bodies to meet certain needs. It is estimated that there may ideally be more bacteria in the human system than cells.
Though bacteria already exist within our internal systems to help fight disease and digest and process the food we eat, life in the modern world has depleted their numbers and left us vulnerable. Using a good probiotic can help restore the bacterial population to the full strength needed for our defense against invasion and disease.
The benefits of ingesting probiotics have been documented by scientific research. Probiotics use reduces the risk of indigestion, protects against diarrhea, assists with the digestion of lactose (milk sugar), and strengthens and enhances the immune system. Other studies have found that taking probiotics can minimize the side effects of antibiotics use and protect against certain cancers. Studies are underway that focus on the ability of probiotics to lessen eczema in children and yeast infections in women, treat irritable bowel disease, and treat inflammation following colon surgery, according to Dr. Michael Picco of the Mayo Clinic.
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People may be hesitant to ingest probiotics without knowing fully what they do in the internal systems. But those that are packaged and sold as dietary supplements and those that are added to certain foods such as yogurt and cottage cheese are beneficial, and should not affect individuals adversely.
According to Women’s Republic Magazine, published in the United Kingdom, probiotics are “a natural part of your body system, in action on a daily basis to fight disease and keep things running smoothly internally.”
Probiotics are recommended by the World Health Organization within specific parameters, but with certain acute illnesses or critical health situations, they should be avoided. In most cases, the only occasional side effects of overdoing probiotics are gas or uncomfortable bloating, but more serious effects have been seen in some people, such as unhealthy metabolic activities, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Do not assume that the effects from taking one species or type of probiotics will be the same as other types or specific probiotics brands.
Dr. Picco points out that, in addition to supplements, probiotics can be found in such foods as fermented milk, sauerkraut, and fermented soy dishes such as miso. It will be clearly marked in the ingredients section of the product if microorganisms have been added to it.
Editor’s note: Anyone who has taken several rounds of antibiotics knows the intestinal misery they leave behind. This is because antibiotics kill off the good bacteria with the bad and can leave you completely devoid of the friendly bacteria that safeguard your immune system. Restoring this bacteria is essential for good health, and can be easily done with a good probiotic supplement like Ultrabiotic (50). This probiotic contains nine strains of beneficial bacteria blended to create balance in the intestinal tract and avoid the side effects noted in this article.
