What Are Probiotics, Really?
What's living in my gut? What's in my gut microbiome?
Always heard bacteria are bad, so why is taking bacteria good? Your body needs beneficial bacteria for a number of things, including healthy digestion. These essential bacteria are sensitive to things such as changes in diet and schedule, stress and travel. Probiotics may help by delivering healthy bacteria to the digestive system.
Taking a probiotic supplement daily may help increase the good bacteria in your gut to maintain a healthy balance.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms, mainly bacteria and some yeasts, that when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host (WHO/FAO definition). They are commonly known as 'good' or 'friendly' bacteria and are often added to food products or taken as supplements to promote digestive health and overall well-being.
Your gut microbiome contains billions of microbial species. Some are positive, while others are negative.
The probiotic determines the benefit
Every living organism has a classification, and probiotics, which are live bacteria, are no different. Probiotics are identified by the genus, species/subspecies, and strain. For example, here is how to identify Lactobacillus acidophilus:
Genus: Lactobacillus
Species: acidophilus
Can I get probiotics from food?
Yes, certain foods containing living cultures can provide you with probiotics. However, you would first need to figure out whether the living culture in the food provides a demonstrated health advantage. Then you'll probably need to adjust your usual diet to acquire enough probiotics to obtain the studied benefits. Foods that contain probiotics include curd (yogurt), buttermilk and pickles.