Everything you need to know about probiotics, from their history and where they're found to market drivers and physiological effects.
More About:
Pro (“for”) biotic (From the Greek For “life”)
What they are
- Live micro-organisms that benefit the host
- Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacillus coagulans, Probiotic yeast
- FAO definition: "live micro-organisms administered in adequate amounts which confer a beneficial health effect on the host"
Where they’re found
- Fermenting milk and yogurt, kefir, buttermilk or karnemelk
- Vegetarian sources: Pickled vegetables, tempeh, miso, doenjang, kimchi, sauerkraut, soy sauce
- Human gut and breast milk
Food or medicine?
- Introduced in 1907 by Russian Nobel laureate Eli Metchnikoff
- Health benefits were first documented in 1000 BCE in Ayurvedic treatise by Charaka Samhita
- Everybody needs them – they’re tied to gut and immune cell functions
- Not all bugs are the same: strain, condition specific, dose specific
- Potential to correct gut issues, but biomarkers are still a sticky matter
- Formulated and marketed as medical foods
- Currently, no approved health claims for probiotics
Manufacturing constraints
- Confused by highly proprietary and scientific mumbo jumbo
- Proliferation of brands – everyone’s naming their bugs
- Vulnerability to heat and harsh chemicals restricts application in prepared meals manufacture
- Encapsulants protect but also lower bioavailability
- Cost major deterrent for food firms
Market drivers
- The global H1N1 pandemic acted as a major catalyst
- Consumers believe daily dose is good for you
- Babies need them so does everyone else including animals
- Biotherapeutic effects counteract ills of highly processed foods
- Spells palpable RELIEF for gut-health issues
- Consumer movies such as Microwarriors and “Germs with a Positive Attitude” popular on YouTube
Physiological effects
- Probiotics manage good/bad balance of the ~1014 (100,000,000,000,000) bacterial cells in the human body
- Modulate gastrointestinal health particularly diarrhea, colon cancer and irritable bowel syndrome
- Protect immune function at all ages; several scientific studies underway
- Studies show cholesterol reduction and protection against cardiovascular disease
- Delay or prevent inflammatory deterioration
- Allergy preventive action and a multitude of benefits may soon translate into clinical effects
Surprising fact
The probiotic paradox: Dead or Alive – probiotics are biological response modifiers and good for you!
Resources
- Handbook of Prebiotics and Probiotics Ingredients, SS Cho and ET Finocchiaro, CRC Press; U.S. Probiotics
- Ingredient Intelligence Monograph: Probiotics
Kantha Shelke, Ph.D., is a principal at Corvus Blue, a Chicago-based food science and nutrition firm that specializes in competitive intelligence and expert witness services. Contact her at kantha@corvusblue.net or 312-951-5810.
