How
Do Probiotics Work? Probiotic Bacteria Have a Range of Benefits
Literally speaking, “probiotic” is a word meaning
“for life.” In scientific terms, probiotic organisms
are live, single-celled, microscopic bacteria. These probiotic
bacteria are consumed and/or used in the human body for
their health benefits. One of the most widely known probiotic
bacterial cultures is called Lactobacillus acidophilus,
or L. acidophilus. Probiotic
acidophilus is commonly found in the human digestive
tract, vagina, and many dairy products (especially yogurt).
In the past decade, there has been extensive research about
probiotic organisms and their potential health benefits,
leading many health-conscious consumers to ask, “How
do probiotics work?”
Probiotic
cultures in fermented dairy products have been touted for
their health benefits for centuries, but scientific evidence
of probiotic benefits has emerged only in the last 10 to
20 years. Probiotic organisms do most of their good work
in the human gastrointestinal tract. All human beings have
an enormous number of bacterial microbes inside the body,
particularly in the mouth, gastrointestinal tract, and vaginal
tract. In fact, scientists believe that the human body contains
more bacteria than actual human cells. Among the 100,000,000,000,000
bacterial cells in the human body are about 1,000 different
species of bacteria. Some bacteria play a vital role in
human health, while others have a negative impact on health.
One main role of probiotic, or friendly, bacteria is to
create a barrier that prevents damaging bacteria and viruses
from multiplying inside the body. Thus, the simplest answer
to the question, “How do probiotics work?” is
that probiotic organisms are like microscopic defenders
which protect your body from invading organisms.
This
type of defense is not the only function of how probiotic
bacteria work to maintain health in the body. Probiotics
have other functions, as well, such as: (1) breaking down
food for digestion, (2) producing the lactase enzyme (which
helps digest milk sugar), (3) producing vitamins in the
intestinal tract, and (4) changing the acidic environment
in the intestine to create less desirable conditions for
harmful organisms.
There
are many ongoing studies to investigate how probiotic bacteria
work to alleviate illness and strengthen the body. Some
of the ways probiotics appear to improve health include:
- Alleviating
lactose intolerance
- Reducing
and preventing diarrhea
- Defending
against infections
- Enhancing
the immune system
- Reducing
inflammation
- Preventing
allergic reactions
- Reducing
chronic constipation
Surprisingly,
probiotics are even being studied for their potential in
treating cancer, heart disease, and kidney stones. It appears
the question, “How do probiotics work?” has
many answers yet to be discovered.
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