Recent consensus in the scientific community defines probiotics as non-pathogenic living microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts. These microorganisms consist mainly of bacteria but also include yeasts. Probiotics should be safe, alive, or revivable in the product at a dose sufficient to provide the intended use throughout its shelf life.
Our entire biology relies on the symbiotic relationship with bacteria. Over 80% of our immune system resides in our gut microbiome. Our modern life is the source of numerous external influences that disrupt our microbiota. Antibiotic therapy, poor or irregular diet, aging, stress, and illness interfere with our internal microbiome’s regulation. There is constant communication between the immune system and bacteria living in your gastrointestinal tract. Inflammation is an immune response. The gut bacteria have the potential to increase or decrease the body’s inflammatory response- some bacteria can degrade your gut barrier, and others can repair it. The relationship between the biomes is referred to as the gut-brain-skin axis. A leaky gut and altered GI microbiota facilitate skin inflammation (promoting acne, eczema, and rosacea, for example), depression, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease by allowing toxins, poorly digested foods, and gut microorganisms to penetrate the circulation of the body. Probiotics can help you rebalance your resident bacteria and restore equilibrium which is essential to good health.
Some of the general benefits and functionality of Probiotics (results can be specific to certain strains):
- Contribute to the improvement and maintenance of the intestinal barrier function and the balance of immune responses
- Regulation of metabolic activity
- Improved digestion and absorption of food
- Reduced growth of pathogenic flora
- The ability to survive gastric acids, enzymes, and bile salts increases the effects of probiotics and improves communication between the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems
- Can contribute to a reduction in obesity, IBS, the incidence of diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty acid liver disease