Simple Definition : Probiotics are the friendly bacteria living in your gut and on your skin that help you maintain a healthy body.
Probiotics are living microorganisms that provide health benefits to us. They live in our gut and on our skin and in the course of their lives will be consuming and breaking down prebiotics to release a variety of enzymes, compounds, vitamins, anti-microbial compounds and fatty acids that are necessary for our body’s functions.
Probiotics were first discovered in 1905 by a Bulgarian physician and microbiologist Stamen Grigorov who found the probiotic species Lactobacillus bulgaricus in Bulgarian yoghurt. Russian scientist and Nobel laureate Élie Metchnikoff then came to a conclusion in 1907 that the Bulgarian peasants who were consuming yoghurt lived longer due to the beneficial effects of the probiotics.
Probiotics are commonly found in food items that are fermented, such as cheeses, yoghurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, bean paste, tempeh and many others.
Let’s look at some species of probiotics and what they do for us.
Gut Probiotics
| Genus | Species |
|---|---|
| Bifidobacteria This genus is commonly used in foods and supplements. 1. Support immune system 2. Limit the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestine 3. Help break down lactose into nutrients for the body | B. animalis 1. Used in Dannon’s Activia yoghurt. 2. Helps in digestion and fighting food-borne bacteria. 3. Can boost immune system. |
| B. breve 1. Lives in digestive tract and vagina. 2. Fights infection causing bacteria and yeast. 3. Helps ferment fibres and sugars in your body to extract nutrients for your body to absorb. | |
| B. lactis 1. Derived from raw milk. 2. Used in Nestle’s probiotic infant formula. | |
| B. longum 1. Helps break down carbohydrates. 2. Acts as an antioxidant. | |
| Lactobacillus This genus produces lactase, which is the enzyme that breaks down lactose (milk sugars) 1. Produce lactic acid which controls the population of bad bacteria | L. acidophilus 1. Helps digestion 2. Found in both intestines and vagina and helps fight off bad bacteria in both places. |
| L. reuteri 1. Found in the mouth and intestines. Helps fight off bad bacteria in both places. | |
| L. rhamnosus 1. Helps prevent and treat gut infections and diarrhoea. 2. Stimulate immune response to promote vaccination. 3. Prevent allergic symptoms. | |
| L. casei 1. Supports immune system. 2. Treat occasional constipation and diarrhoea. | |
| Lactiplantibacillus | L. plantarum 1. Found in mouth and gut. 2. Helps treat atopic dermatitis. 3. Reduces inflammation. 4. Treats inflammatory bowel syndrome where there is inflammation of the intestinal lining. 5. Treats irritable bowel syndrome symptoms such as constipation and diarrhoea. |
Skin Probiotics
| Genus | Species |
|---|---|
| Nitrobacter | 1. Protect against fungi. 2. Protect against UV-induced skin damage. |
| Lactobacillus | 1. Reduce skin inflammation, acne and redness. 2. Improve skin barrier function. |
| Bifidobacterium | 1. Reduce skin sensitivity. 2. E.g. People with eczema, dry, irritated skin can tolerate products without stinging or burning. |
| B. breve B-3 1. Help hydrate skin. 2. Improve skin barrier. | |
| Vitreoscilla | 1. Improve skin barrier function. |
| Bascillus | Bascillus coagulans 1. Antioxidative effect |
| Staphylococcus | Staphylococcus hominis and Staphylococcus epidermidis 1. Suppress growth of certain bacterium that can cause eczema and dry skin. |
| Streptococcus | Streptococcus thermophilus 1. increase the production of ceramides |