Prominent Probiotic Species, Part 1
If you are already taking a probiotic product, this will help you know what you are taking and why. A basic understanding of what these bacteria can do will help to make you a more informed consumer and critical thinker when bombarded with product after product touting almost-too-good-to-be-true health claims.
Lactobacillus acidophilus is first in this list because you have most likely heard of this one. Go you! This is the strain you might hear about in yogurt commercials with promises to improve digestion. Lactobacillus acidophilus is generally considered to be beneficial because it produces vitamin K, lactase, and anti-microbial substances such as acidolin, acidolphilin, lactocidin, and bacteriocin. It has also been shown to reduce yeast overgrowth.
Akkermansia muciniphila is known as the “weight-loss bacteria”. Do I have your attention now?! Study after study has linked this mucus-loving bacteria to leanness. The real key here is that akkermansia helps to beef up the mucosal lining of our gut. Our own human cells have created an intestinal wall that is only one cell thick, leaving the short-chain fatty acid, butyrate, to fill in any possible gaps. You’re not likely to find this in a probiotic product, but you might see a prebiotic product claiming to feed akkermansia. To learn more, visit this post!
Bifidobacterium longum. One of the most important and prominent residents in the human gastrointestinal tract, B. Longum keeps the digestive system running smoothly, blocks the growth of harmful bacteria and boosts the immune system. It ferments sugars into lactic acid and has many health benefits for humans. A few special proteins are specialized to help B. Longum interact with the human host and persist against harmful bacteria.
Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (previously known as Lactobacillus rhamnosus) is a widely studied and thus widely used bacteria, known as sturdy and resilient due to its resistance to acid and bile, ability to multiply, and its capacity to secure a place for itself on our intestinal walls. The general benefits of this bacteria include helping reduce diarrhea and gastro-intestinal infections and reduction of allergy symptoms.
Lactobacillus reuteri. This bacteria can be found not only in the gut, but also the urinary tract, on the skin, and in the breast milk of many mammals. L. reuteri offers us antimicrobial molecules, such as organic acids, ethanol, and reuterin, allowing it to help prevent pathogenic bacteria overgrowth and support our immune system. This is associated with improvements in diarrhea and constipation.
Note 1: Within a species- let’s use Bifidobacterium longum- there are many strains. For example, there is B. longum DLBL07, B. longum DLBL08, and B. longum DLBL09, plus many more. The general information presented here is about the species in general, but specific strains are what are studied in detail. A probiotic product should display all three parts of a bacteria’s name, such as: “Bifidobacterium longum DLBL09”. Not all Bifidobacterium longum strains will offer the same thing, but the general behaviors of the bacteria should be similar.
Note 2: One of the caveats, or at least notable properties of probiotics, is that these must be taken everyday to receive any intended benefits. Similar to taking your vitamins, the body can only benefit from probiotics when there is a regular supply. Therefore, if you choose to take a probiotic supplement, plan to do it for the long term and build a habit of it. Being mindful of your prebiotic and general fiber intake may enhance probiotic efficacy and your overall microbiome. If you are investing in your microbiome with a probiotic supplement, you might as well get your full money’s worth and support them with daily use.
In conclusion…
This field of research and practice is growing exponentially, and with the life-changing results that are stemming from that, we can only expect to see more products and potions and "foods" using probiotics as a selling point. If we- both as individuals purchasing for ourselves and our families, and as a society of consumers- stay informed and take a closer look into broad health claims, we can help prevent industries from abusing probiotics as the latest health craze. When industry abuse happens, the real facts get watered down and it ends up hurting the reputation of things that really can help.
TLDR: Bacteria can offer health benefits, and some probiotic bacteria have been heavily researched. In general, probiotic products can support a gut microbiome, but consult your doctor and further research for specific product or bacteria species recommendations.
More helpful websites:
International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics
Clinical Guide to Probiotic Products
Sources and other info:
Mu, Q., Tavella, V. J., & Luo, X. M. (2018). Role of Lactobacillus reuteri in human health and diseases. Frontiers in microbiology, 9, 757. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.00757
Segers, M. E., & Lebeer, S. (2014). Towards a better understanding of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG--host interactions. Microbial cell factories, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2859-13-S1-S7
