Essay On Probiotics

If you have had recurrent infections and taken antibiotics repeatedly to treat them, you may need to repair your gut. Your gut contains around 70 percent of the immune cells active in your body at any given time, and gut flora play a role in your immune function. Antibiotics kill not only bad bacteria, but also good ones. Probiotics can help your gut recover from the abuse so your immune function can recover from having taken

The relationship between the human gut microbiome to health and disease is strong. Human physiology, metabolism, nutrition, and immune function are all affected by the composition of the gut. If the composition of the gut microbiome is altered in a way that any of these functions are negatively affected, this can lead to disease. The developments of the microbiome, its complexity, and its functionality in health and disease have been extensively studied. In addition, the way in which it is altered has many implications in the cause of diseases, such as bowel disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer.

If you're like many other people (including myself till I started researching this), you might only have a vague idea about what a healthy gut is. You likely know there are bacteria in your gut, that antibiotics destroy those bacteria and that you need to eat yogurt to put those bacteria back. You likely don't know you need to eat special yogurt containing active live cultures to bring bacteria back in your

There are major effects in the United States and Europe to help identify the role of microbial communities in the human body. The colon requires a balance of microbial agents that assist with various functions of the body. An imbalance can lead to C.diff., irritable bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), neurological disorders, and obesity just to list a few. Many of these problems have grown to an epidemic proportion. Both the United States and Europe have started projects aimed at the microbial communities of the body and their roles in our health.

Probiotics, literally meaning pro life, is the name given to a group of live beneficial microorganisms found today in many foods as well as in supplement form. Examples of probiotics include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidum bacterium and Bifidus regularis. Our bodies are already comprised of the beneficial microorganisms found in probiotics but external factors often significantly reduce or eliminate

The hindgut is not only a fermentation vat, but it also stimulates immune responses, protects against pathogens, production and neutralization of toxins, and gene expression in host epithelial tissues (Milinovich et al., 2010). The cecal microbiome is extremely sensitive and can be affected by factors like gastrointestinal disease and dietary changes, which can lead to systemic consequences and even death (Costa et al., 2012). Therefore, healthy and balanced microbiota is vital for the overall wellbeing of the animal. By understanding external factors and how they affect the gut microbiota, this could help in diagnosing medical conditions and provide better treatment and prognosis of gastrointestinal diseases resulting in

The use of the first form of microbe-based therapeutics, probiotics, is beneficial for preventing disease. These live microorganisms are known to strengthen the equilibrium of the gut flora by the development of healthy gut

The effect of different diets on the gut microbiome has been studied greatly in mice and to a lesser extent in humans to assess the effect that dietary composition has on the gut micro-biome. It has been suggested that increased efficiency of energy harvest due to changes in the gut microbiota with an increase in Firmicutes and decrease Bacteroidetes bacteria, occurs in obesity in mice and humans.4 A study performed by Murphy et al looked at the effect of a high-fat (HF) diet and genetic obesity (ob/ob) for changes in gut microbiota and the amount of energy harvested from food over time.4 Ob/ob mice were fed a low-fat diet and wild-type mice were fed either a low-fat or HF-diet for 8 weeks. Results indicated an increase in Firmicutes bacteria in both mice fed a HF diet as well as ob/ob mice, but Firmicutes bacteria did not change over time in the lean control mice. A reduction in Bacteroidetes bacteria was also found in ob/ob mice.4

Studies have identified different genera of bacteria which are present in the microbiome and their role in nutrient intake. Gut microbiota has 3 main enterotypes Prevotella, Bacteroides and Ruminococcus, there is a strong correlation between the concentration of each bacterial community and the dietary constituents. A diet high in carbohydrates and simple sugars would also indicate and reveal a greater concentration of Prevotella whereas a diet high in protein and animal fats would present a higher concentration of Bacteroides in the gut. A long term change in the diet would permanently shift the concentration of bacteria in the gut to accommodate the new nutrient uptake. This would then change the bacterial barrier in the intestine which could make it more vulnerable due to reduced species richness.

There are trillions of microorganisms living within us, greatly outnumbering our cells and genes. They are found in our skin, hair, membranes, mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tracts. Collectively these microorganisms are called our microbiota. Every individual has a unique microbiota, kind of like a fingerprint, but usually share similar metabolic functions. A vast majority of these are harmless and even beneficial to us, these are referred to as commensals. There are many bacterial commensals, that have co-evolved with us for centuries, making it possible for our bodies to properly function. Commensals benefit us by synthesizing vitamins and minerals, digest foods we alone cannot, regulate immunity, detox the body, protect against infections, and reduce inflammation. While there

In 1953, Kollath introduced the term ‘probiotic’. Etymologically, the term ‘probiotic’ is originated from the hybridization of Greek words ‘προ’ and ‘βιοτος’, which brough the meaning of ‘for life’. In 1953, the term ‘probiotic’ was introduced by Kollath as “organic and inorganic supplements necessary to restore health to patients suffering a form of malnutrition resulting from eating too much highly refined food” (Hamilton-Miller et al., 2003). The probiotic word has evolved throughout the years. As indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO), probiotics are characterized as "live microorganisms that able to provide advantage to the host when consume in adequate amount (World Health Organization [WHO], 2001). Probiotics also classified

The gut microbiota encompasses trillions of microorganisms that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract (Carding et al. 2015). The composition of the gut microbiota is constantly evolving and can be susceptible to both endogenous and exogenous modifications (Carding et al. 2015). The microbiota

5). Probiotics are bacteria that are native to your digestive tract, which means, they are normally found in healthy small and large intestines and can influence the mucosal barrier (the inner lining of the digestive tract), which in turn can affect immune system functions (EczemaFree.org par. 2). Lack of a sufficient mucosal barrier allows food and environmental antigens to cross over into the blood stream, activating the immune system and leading to hyperactivity, which is the hallmark of eczema conditions (par. 2). This is an example of how usage of probiotics can improve conditions within the intestinal tract, and in turn reduce eczema symptoms. Unaltered probiotics such as Lactobacillus GG, with its anti-inflammatory powers, may help prevent the development of eczema and other allergic disorders (Sachs 230). The first clue that gut bacteria could play a role in risk for developing eczema came in the discovery that breastfed babies have a reduced incidence, prolonged onset and decreased severity to eczema

This mechanism of diversity caused by many flora inside the digestive track of humans are beneficial because it helps with the digestion of a more diverse product. Even if the probiotic does not help with digestion some other

The proper macrobiotic diet balances yin and yang, which leads to harmony, peace, happiness and health. The World Wide Web houses pages of extensive discussion on how to eat macrobiotically. There are long lists comparing foods and characteristics that are yin to those that are yang. There is great discussion about proportions of food that should be eaten when observing a macrobiotic diet. There are illusions to the efficacy of a macrobiotic diet in curing cancer, but no explanation of how, when or why. There is no evidence of a biological benefit to eating a macrobiotic diet. There are no scientific studies that support the nutritional value of a macrobiotic diet. There is no explanation of why eating the proper balance of yin and yang foods yields physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being. The philosophy of macrobiotics is strictly theoretical. The macrobiotic diet was created not by scientists, but philosophers of a kind who claim