It is often said that replenishing probiotics is good for your health and that eating more probiotics is not bad. So what are probiotics good for your health?
Many people have heard of the word “probiotics,” and yoghurt ads are trumpeted. As a result, many people think that drinking yogurt is to supplement probiotics, this statement is very one-sided. In fact, there are a wide variety of probiotics on the market, and some foods also contain probiotics.
What is probiotics?
- The role of probiotics
Probiotics are non-pathogenic microorganisms that are beneficial to intestinal microecology and help to improve intestinal structure and function. Some probiotics act as barriers to prevent the cultivation of pathogenic bacteria and strengthen the body’s immune system. Some probiotics can help digest and ferment dietary fiber that would otherwise be indigestible and store energy in the form of short-chain fatty acids.
- Probiotics are divided into two types
There are two kinds of probiotics, one is the probiotics that exist in the human body itself, which is equivalent to what we now call “aborigines.” This is mainly inherited through the mother’s body fluid, to mature at the age of 3 or so, and then constantly accompany us.
The other is supplementary probiotics, which mainly play a supplementary role after the probiotics of human beings have a problem, and then whether they can colonize and conform to our individual depends on the compatibility of the two. Supplemental probiotics do work, but relatively speaking, the more “aborigines” the better.
Who needs probiotics?
- Diarrhea or constipation
Whether it is bacteria, viruses, protozoa caused by infectious diarrhea, or non-infectious diarrhea, there are intestinal flora disorders.
PS: Why do probiotics have an effect on diarrhea and constipation?
Because probiotics can regulate the intestinal environment, so that the intestinal tract of beneficial and harmful bacteria to achieve a balance, thus forming an ideal healthy intestinal environment. Therefore, constipation and diarrhea can be regulated by taking probiotics.
- Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy
Chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation can kill probiotics, leading to intestinal flora disorders.
- Patients with liver cirrhosis and peritonitis
They have not only dysbacteriosis, but also lipid-derived endotoxemia of varying degrees. Supplementation of probiotics can inhibit intestinal amine-producing spoilage bacteria and reduce intestinal acidity and endotoxin content in blood.
- Enteritis patients
Although the etiology of ulcerative colitis is not clear, supplementation of probiotics can achieve a certain effect.
- Dyspepsia
Functional dyspepsia is characterized by recurrent or persistent upper abdominal distension, anorexia, heartburn and other symptoms, examination of no gastric, hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases. Probiotics promote digestion.
- Lactose intolerance (milk allergy)
Congenital lack of lactase, or lack of lactase due to intestinal infection, malnutrition and so on, lactose can not be decomposed and lead to abdominal distension and diarrhea. Probiotics can help break down lactose in milk and promote the absorption of nutrients in milk.
- Old people
Probiotics such as Bifidobacterium in the human gut decrease with age. Supplementation of probiotics can be used as a health care method for the elderly.
How to supplement probiotics?
- Yogurt, cheese
Most yogurt or yoghurt products generally contain only Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, but not active probiotics. Probiotics can be added to yoghurt, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus Roy and so on. Although yoghurt is not the best source of probiotics, it has a series of beneficial metabolites such as vitamins, enzymes, as well as rich protein and calcium produced by lactic acid bacteria fermentation.
Some cheese made by fermentation method contains active probiotics. the probiotics commonly used in cheese are Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium, Propionibacterium and so on. In general, the longer the fermentation time, the more healthy probiotic metabolites in cheese.
- Fermented food
Eating some fermented foods made from vegetables, water and cereals can help supplement probiotics, such as kimchi, miso, Douchi, and so on. Take fermented kimchi as an example, it contains not only probiotics, but also some beneficial metabolites, and kimchi’s own dietary fiber and a variety of antioxidants contribute to the growth and reproduction of probiotics. This kind of fermented food can be eaten properly, but it is not recommended as the main way to supplement probiotics.
- Probiotics supplement
At present, there are many kinds of probiotics on the market, such as capsules, tablets or solid drinks, both probiotics food, but also registered and approved probiotics health products, and even drugs.
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