What are probiotics?
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are microorganisms that we consume in order to affect a greater sense of health. We consume specific types of bacteria that have been identified as helpful in some way.
Probiotics occur naturally in some foods, like kimchi or yogurt, and probiotics can be added to food products or made into supplement forms such as capsules. There are literally billions of bacteria strains, but most probiotic products will be made of one or more of the most proven and studied strains.
How do they work?
Bacteria do a number of things in our gut, from fermenting then releasing gasses that signal other interactions in the body; to helping us synthesize vitamins; to simply overcrowding more harmful strains, leaving them no room or resources to proliferate.
How does it benefit us?
Our gut has been deemed our second brain and many are claiming that it’s even more powerful than the brain. It’s only recently that science has begun to examine the intricate roles that the gut plays, but in that short time we have learned so much. We now know that probiotics can help train the immune system, help us digest and absorb nutrients, dial hormones and neurotransmitters up or down, keep harmful bacteria at bay, impact our mood, and more.
You mentioned probiotics occur naturally in foods… What foods can I eat for probiotics?
The most common foods that contain probiotics are yogurt, kefir, kombucha (pictured above), sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread. My personal favorite is kimchi. I keep a jar in the refrigerator and eat a couple forkfuls when I want a salty and snappy snack.
If I want to try probiotics supplements, how do I know what to get?
“Current trends suggest that the global probiotics market size could reach over $66 billion by 2024, and choosing a probiotic from the ever-expanding selection of commercially available products can be daunting for patients.” (Butler, Mörkl, Sandhu, Cryan, Dinan, 2019). … wow, right? This is a double-edged sword, as this means there will be more and more options out there and hopefully more resources diverted to research to make an effective and competitive probiotics market, but it also means that there will be more imposters and products that use the buzzwords to catch your attention. I, myself, have been pleased with the probiotic line of products from Plexus Worldwide.
General info about buying probiotics:
There are many different probiotics available to buy. This area is relatively unregulated, and many probiotics on the market may not have been rigorously tested.
A reputable probiotic product will give information on the genus (group) of bacteria as well as the species and strain.
The product should also give information on the number of live bacteria in the product, the colony forming unit (CFU) count.
When buying probiotics look at what research has been done on the product. Has it been tested in human trials? Has it been tested in healthy subjects or in people diagnosed with depression or anxiety? Have the results of these trials been published in peer-reviewed journals? Many companies will have a website or helpline that you can use for information. (Butler, Mörkl, Sandhu, Cryan, Dinan, 2019)
TLDR: Probiotics are specific microorganisms/bacteria that we consume with the intention of an improved health outcome. They’re not a cure-all, so take a moment to learn more before buying a probiotic product.
Sources and helpful info:
Butler, M. I., Mörkl, S., Sandhu, K. V., Cryan, J. F., & Dinan, T. G. (2019). The Gut Microbiome and Mental Health: What Should We Tell Our Patients?: Le microbiote Intestinal et la Santé Mentale : que Devrions-Nous dire à nos Patients?. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 64(11), 747–760.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6882070/pdf/10.1177_0706743719874168.pdf
Harvard Health Publishing (2020, August 24). How to get more probiotics. Healthbeat.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-get-more-probiotics
Consumer Guide: https://isappscience.org/for-consumers/learn/probiotics/