Dr Mary Ellen Sanders tells SHAlINI SAKSENA about all there is to know about the benefits of taking a probiotic drink
WHAT IT MEANS
The body contains trillions of microbes together making up our microbiota which lives in harmony with us. Our bacteria are important to keeping us healthy -- developing and bolstering the immune system and helping keep potentially harmful microbes at bay.
Typical probiotics are species of lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Saccharomyces. These probiotics are safe for the general population. People who are immuno-compromised should consult their physicians.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. For example, by antibiotics, poor diet while traveling, scientists define probiotics as live micro-organisms They are present in numerous food and dietary supplements. Probiotics are live microorganisms that when taken in sufficient amounts can provide health benefits. They can help support the bacteria that live with us, especially when our bacteria are challenged.
Most bacteria are not bad. There are a few that are pathogens, and they can do serious harm. But most bacteria that colonize our bodies are not pathogens. We harbour trillions of bacteria in our bodies. Probiotics can reinforce the positive activities of our colonising microbiota.
— Dr Mary Ellen Sanders, consultant, Dairy & Food Culture Technologies, US
BENEFITS
Not all probiotics are the same. But some probiotics have been shown to help with antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), digestive symptoms, reduce risk of common cold/flu like symptoms and other benefits. Support health in different ways
Probiotics are not essential, but they can support your health. If you have a condition that has been shown to be helped by probiotics — AAD, digestive symptoms — then choose a probiotic that has been studied for these benefits.
Tips to stay healthy
Don’t
SOURCES
Yogurt: look for added probiotics listed on the label
Supplements: These can be convenient for traveling and have a higher potency than foods
Fermented foods: Can be sources of live bacteria if not heat-treated. Traditional fermented foods are: Pickles, idli, curd, lassi and kanji.
One can even have foods that are prebiotic.
Some prebiotics can be found in onions, garlic, banana, chicory root, Jerusalme artichokes but typically at low levels. To increase your daily intake, include prebiotic supplements or foods with added prebiotics as part of the diet. It can be added to yogurt, infant formula, cereals, breads, biscuits/cookies, desserts or drinks. Try to get at least 5 gm of prebiotic in your daily diet. Eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables and other fibre-rich foods can help.
However, some people can experience mild digestive symptoms when they first take a probiotic, but these are short-lived and self-limiting.
Research often shows that some people respond to a specific probiotic strain and others do not. So if you feel a probiotic is something you’d like to use, one strategy is to try a product for about a month. If you don’t see a benefit, then perhaps it’s not the right one for you.
— Dr Mary Ellen Sanders
Busting myths
IS MORE BETTERIJ
Not necessarily. A greater number of colony forming units (CFU) does not always equate with enhanced effects. The best dose is the one that has been tested in humans and shown to provide positive outcomes. These levels can range from 100 million to over a trillion CFU per day. Most probiotics have been tested at levels between 1-10 billion CFU/d.
Is GREATER BETTERIJ
It depends on the science. Some studies support the benefits of a single-strain probiotic product, while some studies show that specific blends of probiotics strains have a positive outcome. Simply having lots of strains is not a guarantee of a more beneficial product.
DOES STRAIN MATTERIJ
Scientists agree that not all probiotics are the same. Choose a strain or strain blend backed by science supporting the benefit you are looking for. Many different probiotic strains have been shown to be beneficial, so if your goal is to simply add live, potentially beneficial microbes to your diet, then choose a product that fits with your lifestyle and diet; you may choose high dose, multi-strain probiotic supplements or fermented foods that retain live microbes.
Sugar in PROBIOTIC
Most research examining the health benefits of probiotics in yogurt have been conducted on sweetened yogurts/drinks. Therefore, the sugar does not negatively impact the effects of the probiotics. We can all have too much of a good thing — including sugar. It is important that added sugar intakes are within recommendations and are part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Are all FERMENTED FOODS PROBIOTICIJ
Fermented foods are made when live cultures, through their growth and metabolism, transform a food into a fermented food. Some of these fermented foods are consumed with no further processing, but others are processed by pasteurisation, baking, smoking or filtering. These processing steps can kill or remove the live cultures in them, leaving the fermented food unable to provide live microbes. Even if a fermented food provides a source of live microbes, it may not have been tested for health benefits. In contrast, probiotics are live microbes that have been shown to have a health effect in adequate amounts. Although fermented foods can be healthy foods and may be a source of live microbes, they may not reach the bar required to be called ‘probiotic’. When a fermented food contains a studied probiotic at a dose that can confer a benefit, then it is correctly designated as a probiotic.
— Dr Mary Ellen Sanders