Prebiotics and probiotics are two key categories of substances that play a very important role in maintaining the delicate balance of our gut, promoting gastrointestinal health, and contributing to the overall well-being of the body.
These compounds, often associated with terms such as "fermentable fiber" and "good bacteria," are the subject of increasing scientific interest and are gaining popularity as key elements for a balanced diet.
In this article, we will explore what prebiotics and probiotics are exactly, how they influence our health, and how we can integrate them into our daily diet to improve our well-being.
What are probiotics
Probiotics are "live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host".
These microorganisms, mainly bacteria but also including yeasts, are naturally present in fermented foods, can be added to other food products, and are available as dietary supplements.
Probiotics are identified by their specific strain, which includes the genus, species, subspecies (if applicable), and an alphanumeric strain designation.
The seven main genera of microbial organisms most often used in probiotic products are Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Escherichia and Bacillus.
Table 1 shows examples of the nomenclature used for different commercial strains of probiotic organisms.
| Table 1: Nomenclature of commercial probiotic strains | ||||
| Genus | Species | Subspecies | Strain Designation | Strain Nickname |
| Lactobacillus | rhamnosus | none | GG | LGG |
| Bifidobacterium | animalis | lactis | DN-173 010 | Bifidus regularis |
| Bifidobacterium | longum | longum | 35624 | Bifantis |
What foods contain prebiotics
Common sources of probiotics include yogurt, cultured buttermilk, and cheese.
Other foods obtained through bacterial fermentation include Japanese miso, tempeh, sauerkraut, beer, sourdough, bread, chocolate, kimchi, olives, and pickles.
Another fermented dairy product is kefir.
However, among these, yogurts and fermented milks remain the main food vehicles for probiotics, offering a relatively low pH environment essential for the survival of probiotic bacteria.
Probiotic strains are also found in non-dairy fermented substrates, including soy products, cereals, legumes, cabbage, corn, pearl millet, sorghum, and so on.
Dairy products represent the most common and preferred food category by consumers, rich in lactic ferments.
However, dairy products are associated with an increased risk for people with lactose intolerance, galactosemia, milk protein allergy, and high cholesterol levels.
For this reason, the market increasingly demands the use of probiotic lactic ferment supplements as a valid alternative.
What are lactic ferments?
“Lactic ferments” and “probiotics” are often confused with each other, even by healthcare professionals.
Lactic ferments or lactic acid bacteria are bacteria capable of producing lactic acid from the fermentation of lactose.
The term therefore refers to a microbial function that microorganisms, even diverse ones, are capable of performing.
The term "lactic ferment" is more famous than "probiotic"; the reason is probably historical, as the use of lactic ferments in antiquity served to preserve milk.
The difference is clear: on the one hand, lactic ferments, of which we cannot be sure of any effects; on the other hand, probiotics, stored in databases, of which we know exactly the species, strain, and molecular detail, with the safety, technological, functional, and physiological criteria required by the WHO.
These criteria are necessary for a given product to be called a probiotic and to be sold as such.
What are probiotics used for
Probiotics are important for improving digestion and nutrient absorption in our body, because they help break down foreign substances (such as medicines or pollutants) reducing the risk of side effects and are essential for intestinal health.
The microbiota, composed of beneficial bacteria, helps produce important substances such as fatty acids, vitamins and amino acids, contributing to nutritional needs.
Probiotics keep the gut healthy, competing with harmful ones in the intestine, preserving its structural integrity and barrier function.
The gut microbiota also plays a key role in supporting a healthy immune system and interacts with different parts of the body through complex biochemical signals.
This interaction is known as the microbiota-gut-brain axis and microbiota-gut-lung axis.
Gut bacteria can influence not only the gut but also anatomical districts such as the brain and lungs.
Changes in the microbiome, caused by chronic stress, drugs or contaminated food, could alter immune function and the balance in the central nervous and respiratory system.
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What is the difference between probiotics and prebiotics
Prebiotics are not to be confused with probiotics, as they are non-digestible food compounds that selectively promote the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in the colon.
In other words, they are substances that provide the necessary nourishment for beneficial gut bacteria.
So, probiotics are living microorganisms, prebiotics are substances that promote the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria already present in the intestine.
Often, it is advantageous to consume both in the diet to support a balanced intestinal bacterial flora and promote the body's health.
When to take probiotics?
The question of the optimal time to take a probiotic supplement remains debated, as numerous factors influence the product's effectiveness.
To date, there is insufficient data to define with reasonable certainty the best time for intake.
Most manufacturers rely on a specific study published in 2011 which, through counting, evaluated the impact of administration time relative to meals and the influence of food's buffering capacity on probiotic survival during gastrointestinal transit.
Counting performed during and after transit through gastric and duodenal models showed that the survival of all bacteria present in the product was better when administered during a meal or 30 minutes before a meal (it should be noted that the meal consisted of oatmeal cooked with milk, a meal uncommon in our latitudes).
Probiotics administered 30 minutes after this meal showed lower survival.
The presence of fats seems to have some positive impact, as survival in 1% fat milk and oatmeal porridge was significantly better than in apple juice or spring water.
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii strain was not affected by mealtime or meal buffering capacity.
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The best lactic ferments
If you are considering purchasing a probiotic lactic ferment supplement, it is essential to keep in mind that, while they may seem similar, there are often notable differences that affect their effectiveness.
Evaluate these five useful parameters before deciding which product to choose.
- Number of bacterial species with specific count, a supplement containing more different species derived from international collections is considered more effective
- Number of live bacteria (CFU) per capsule, effectiveness is dose-dependent
- Absence of allergens, such as Lactose and Gluten makes it suitable for people with allergies or intolerances
- Absence of additives such as artificial sweeteners or colorants, some additives can affect the stability of the bacteria themselves as well as cause adverse reactions.
- Number of live bacteria (CFU) relative to price
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Particularly relevant, especially in relation to point 5, which considers the number of live bacteria (CFU) in relation to price, is the incredible difference found between one brand and another.
According to our market analysis, the best-selling probiotic lactic ferment supplements in Switzerland have an average cost per billion bacteria that is almost 100 times higher than that of PRO-BIO24.
Are probiotics safe?
Probiotics are generally recognized as safe by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or are subject to qualified presumption of safety (QPS) by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
However, while probiotics are available to healthy consumers as dietary supplements or foods, certain patient populations use them.
It is important to remember that long-term studies aimed at demonstrating the safety of probiotics in at-risk populations, such as individuals with weakened or compromised immune function, elderly individuals, and infants (especially premature infants), are still limited.
Currently, caution is suggested in the use of probiotics in vulnerable populations.
In particular, in the presence of a single major risk factor, such as an immunocompromised state, or more than one minor risk factor, special attention should be paid to the use of probiotics.
Research continues on this topic to gain a deeper understanding of the safety of probiotics, especially in specific clinical contexts.
Sources:
- Cells. 2023 Jan; 12(1): 184.doi: 10.3390/cells12010184 , Probiotics Mechanism of Action on Immune Cells and Beneficial Effects on Human Health
- Gut Microbes. 2023; 15(1): 2185034. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2023.2185034, Emerging issues in probiotic safety: 2023 perspectivesNutrients doi: 10.3390/nu14235155. Microbiome Therapeutics for Food Allergy
