What are probiotics?

Usually the chat about probiotics comes up pretty often. A lot of people are aware of probiotics, but aren't always clear on exactly what probiotics are or what they do. I like to explain what probiotics are and how they can help the health of the individual. Quite a few people know about probiotics from yoghurt or from an ad they saw on TV. However, very few of my patients really know how probiotics can help their specific health concern. This is a great opportunity to learn and take charge of their health and make informed decisions. So let me take this opportunity to try and explain what probiotics are and how they work.

What are probiotics?
Probiotics are small bacteria that are used to increase and or replace the good bacteria already present in the body. They promote a healthy digestive tract and support defense mechanisms. 
There are over 500 different strains of bacteria that live in your digestive tract. It is believed that there are 10X more bacteria in your body then there are normal cells. They combine to weigh roughly 1 kg. The genes from these organisms may be as much as 150 times larger than the total human gene content. That's a lot of bacteria!!
The 4 most dominant classes of bacteria are: Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria,and Actinobacteria.

There are many many different strains of probiotics for sale out there, each with a claim as to why that strain is the best (that is a whole different topic that should be discussed with your healthcare provider). It is believed that different strains of probiotics have different functions in the body. 

How do probiotics work?
Probiotics have multiple functions in the body such as:

• Barrier of protection - by forming a physical barrier and lining the cells of your digestive tract. This keeps the food from irritating the digestive lining.
• Produce Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA's) - promotes growth and differentiation of intestinal cells leading to decreased risk of Colon Cancer and Intestinal Hyperpermeability (aka Leaky gut)
• Increase immune function - by modulating Th1 and Th2 immune responses
• Breaking down food to get more nutrients out of it - probiotics begin digestion of food
• Minimize fermentation in the digestive tract.
• Vitamin K2 production - Vitamin K2 can't be stored in the body so consistent formation of vitamin K2 is crucial to prevent bleeding disorders.

When can I use probiotics?
Probiotics can be useful in many scenarios, here are the most common situations:

• Post-Antibiotic treatment
• Digestive health
• Allergies
• Skin conditions
• Pregnancy
• Urinary tract infections
• Inflammatory conditions

Thats the simple explanation of what probiotics are and how they work. Before picking any probiotics, consult with your healthcare provider to find the best strains for you and your health needs.