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13 Probiotics
13 Probiotics
What is a probiotic?
A probiotic is a live micro organism which, when given in
adequate quantity, has an beneficial effect on the host.
Bacteria Responsible
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are the most common type of microbes
used.
LAB have been used in the food industry for many years, because
they are able to convert sugars (including lactose) and other
carbohydrates into lactic acid.
This not only provides the characteristic sour taste of fermented
dairy foods such as yogurt, but also by lowering the pH may create
fewer opportunities for spoilage organisms to grow, hence creating
possible health benefits on preventing gastrointestinal infections.
Strains of the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, are the
most widely used probiotic bacteria.[
What is a prebiotic?
Non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the
host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of
one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon, and thus
improve host health
A
prebiotic
can
typically
be
CHOs
(oligosaccharides); soluble fibre can also be
included.
It should increase the number and/or activity of
prebiotics
+
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
+
Streptococcus thermophilus
Bifidobacterium animalis
DN-173 010
+
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
+
Streptococcus thermophilus
the activity of
producing toxic
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
In the 1960s the dairy industry began to promote fermented milk products
containing Lactobacillus acidophilus.
In subsequent decades other [Lactobacillus] species have been introduced including
Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus johnsonii, because
they are intestinal species with beneficial properties
Potential Benefits
Lactose Intolerance: lactose to lactic acid
Prevention of Colon Cancer: LAB ability to bind with heterocyclic
amines, which are carcinogenic substances formed in cooked meat
Cholesterol Lowering
Lowering Blood Pressure: due to the ACE (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme)
inhibitor-like peptides produced during fermentation
Reducing Inflammation:
Heterocyclic amines:
Super infection:
the
Fungi, such as the yeast Candida albicans, also produce superinfections when
bacterial competition is eliminated by antibiotics.
Angiotensin-converting-enzyme
inhibitor
(ACE)
is
a
pharmaceutical drug used primarily for the treatment of hypertension
(high blood pressure) and congestive heart failure.
Synthesized from compounds found in pit viper venom, ACE
inhibitors inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (a component of the
blood pressure-regulating renin-angiotensin system increases BP ), thereby
decreasing the tension of blood vessels and blood volume, thus
lowering blood pressure.
Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system:
Kidney
(JGC)
Low BP--
Renin
Angiotensin---- aldosterone from adrenal
(decr in Na in DCT and blood vol by SNS)
ACE
Synbiotics
It is also possible to increase and maintain a healthy
bacterial gut flora by increasing the amounts of
prebiotics in the diet such as inulin, raw oats, and
unrefined wheat.
As probiotics are mainly active in the small intestine and
prebiotics are only effective in the large intestine, the
combination of the two may give a synergistic effect.
Appropriate combinations of pre- and probiotics are
synbiotics
Industrial Use
Live probiotic cultures are available in fermented dairy
products and probiotic fortified foods.
However, tablets, capsules, powders and sachets
containing the bacteria in freeze dried form are also
available.