Probiotics and prebiotics have attracted much attention because of their functions in regulating the intestinal microecological balance and improving the immune function of the body. The mass consumer demand for related food products is increasing year by year. Starting from the concept of probiotics and prebiotics, we elaborated on their mechanisms to regulate the intestinal flora and enhance the body’s immunity, so as to provide a reference for consumers on how to scientifically select dairy products containing probiotics and prebiotics.
1. Probiotics and prebiotics
In the 1960s, the term "Probiotic" was first used to refer to bacteria that are beneficial to intestinal health. In 2001, the World Health Organization officially defined probiotics as "a kind of living microorganisms that, when ingested in appropriate amounts, can bring benefits to the host's health." It should be pointed out that
probiotics only refer to certain strains that have probiotic properties, rather than all strains.
The WHO defines prebiotics as: a type of inactive food components that can have beneficial health effects on the host by regulating intestinal microbes. Prebiotics are generally short-chain carbohydrates, including hundreds of oligosaccharides such as resistant starch and lactulose, fructooligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, and inulin. In recent years, with the deepening of intestinal microecology research, it has been clear that prebiotics can enhance the body's immunity by improving the intestinal microecological balance and prevent the occurrence of certain diseases. Prebiotics are widely used in food products as an intestinal microecological regulator.
2. The efficacy of probiotics and prebioticsrnAt present, a large number of clinical trials related to probiotics and prebiotics have been carried out around the world. Although probiotics and prebiotics have different effects on different groups of people, their benefits to human health have been recognized.
Probiotics can prevent or improve diarrhea and constipation, enhance digestive tract function, promote intestinal nutrient absorption, prevent reproductive system infections, lower serum cholesterol, relieve mental stress and anxiety, improve their memory and cognitive abilities. Although prebiotics cannot be digested and absorbed by the body, they can selectively stimulate the growth and reproduction of beneficial bacteria in the intestines and activate their metabolic functions, so that the intestinal flora can be transformed in a direction that is beneficial to the health of the host. Therefore, prebiotics have the functions of improving and preventing constipation, promoting the absorption of mineral elements, improving lipid metabolism, lowering cholesterol and blood lipids, and improving immunity.
3. Probiotics and human healthrnSince the beginning of the twentieth century, Mechnikov discovered that long-term consumption of yogurt is closely related to the general longevity of Bulgarians, and put forward the "yogurt longevity" theory, people have gradually realized the important role of probiotic lactic acid bacteria on human health.
Especially with the in-depth research of the "Human Gut Metagenome Project", intestinal microbes are known as an "important organ" for humans and animals. Studies have shown that the interaction between host immune cells and microorganisms shapes the mucosal immune system, and probiotics can enhance the body's immune function by regulating the balance of intestinal flora and activating mucosal immunity. Protein malnutrition is a serious disease often suffered by hospitalized patients and the elderly due to reduced immunity and immune dysfunction caused by infection.
Probiotics for gut health have good effects in enhancing the absorption of nutrients in such patients, preventing and treating protein malnutrition.
The beneficial effects of probiotics probably include the following aspects:
â Promote the secretion of mucus from the cell wall to protect the body from unnecessary aggressions.
â¡Induces the release of defensins from intestinal cells to fight invading bacteria, fungi and viruses.
â¢By metabolizing dietary fiber and other food components, short-chain fatty acids and other secondary metabolites are produced to participate in the body's physiological and immune processes.
Since the effect of probiotics is realized by interaction with the intestinal flora, the structure and composition of the inherent flora of the host intestine determines the role of probiotics. However, everyone's intestinal flora is unique, and microbes fluctuate every day. It is impossible to predict how specific probiotics will affect individuals’ gut microbes without understanding the composition of the intestinal resident flora. Therefore, considering the impact of probiotics on the health of the host, judgments should be made on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the host's intestinal flora, and products containing probiotics and prebiotics should be selected scientifically and reasonably.
Creative Enzymes is a professional and experienced supplier of probiotics. With the continuous expansion of business areas and scale, we have set foot in other areas and established a sound probiotic production and supply chain. Our probiotic products mainly include Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces, Bifidobacterium, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, Bacillus, etc., covering food science, nutrition, microbiology, bioengineering, fermentation engineering, and other fields. Based on the different requirements of clients, we can also provide customized probiotic products and services.