Probiotics, Prebiotics and Synbiotics

Based on definitions given by FAO and WHO the probiotics are “live micro-organisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. Stress, antibiotic, bad diet, diseases and poisoning can decrease good bacteria population in microflora. Gut microbiome composition depends on nutrition and food consumption. Hence consuming food that is enriched by probiotic and prebiotic supplements will alter intestine microflora and replace useful bacteria with pathogens. Probiotics affect individual's health in different ways. These microorganisms can inhibit pathogen growth in intestine

by producing organic acids and antimicrobial factors. Fortunately, studies have shown that using probiotics can increase useful bacteria and improve health and increase resistance to pathogens.

There are thousands of articles that have been published all over the world about benefits of probiotics. Decreasing risk of diarrhea, significant reduction in malabsorption syndrome side effect, boosting immune system especially in children, reducing problems caused by lactose intolerance, increasing nutrient absorption in digestive system and controlling blood sugar level both in healthy or diabetic people are some of probiotic important effects that have been already proven. People of any age or sexuality can benefit from probiotics. By using domestic probiotics infants and children will have powerful immune system that is resistant to different pathogens, women will have less infections with lower severity and frequency, elderlies will have lesser constipation problems and women and men will have stronger immune system.

Prebiotics are group of nutrients that are usually carbohydrates (like inulin) that when consumed, promote good bacteria growth in digestive system. In recent years their effects on human health has been considered. Prebiotics can be found in fruits, vegetables and special plants like artichoke, asparagus, banana, chicory, garlic and onions. Prebiotics are partially or completely indigestible in human digestive system but they can be destructed and change into short chain fatty acids by microorganisms in intestine during fermentation. These short chain fatty acids can enter the systemic blood stream and transferred to other organs as well.

Synbiotic refer to food ingredients or dietary supplements combining probiotics and prebiotics in a form of synergism, hence synbiotics. In facts synbiotic were developed in regards to overcoming survivability problems of probiotic bacteria in upper intestines prebiotic part of a synbiotic product will improve growth, survivability and effective colonization of probiotic in host digestive system that will maintain intestine hemostasisand health eventually.