Probiotics & Prebiotics

Probiotics are cultures of living bacteria, which are considered to be the most beneficial of the hundreds of types which normally inhabit the intestine. The overall idea of using probiotics is that additional benefit will be obtained if larger numbers of these ‘very’ beneficial types are ingested on a daily basis so increasing their population level in the intestine.

Most probiotics contain different species of Lactobacillus bacteria. An example is Lactobacillus acidophilus. These organisms normally colonise the small intestine. The other type of bacterium commonly found in probiotics is Bifidobacteria e.g. Bifidobacterium lactis. These are major colonisers of the large intestine. Therefore, products which contain both of these types have the potential to beneficially affect all parts of the intestine.   

Probiotics have been found to be effective in a number of different aspects of digestive health and related healthcare. Currently there is intense research interest in probiotics and it is likely that more evidence and a spectrum of health benefits will be uncovered. Currently, the major health benefit findings for probiotics are outlined below:

 

1) Numerous trials have confirmed that probiotics reduce the risk of diarrhoea and associated digestive tract problems which sometimes occur following the use of antibiotics.

 

2) Probiotics have been found to beneficially regulate the immune system, particularly in children. Indeed, the use of probiotics in newborn babies may actually reduce the risk of the child developing allergy. This work needs to be confirmed but the likelihood is that this effect will be substantiated in the next few years.

 

3) Probiotics have been found to be beneficial in people with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

It is important to note that not all probiotics are the same, they are composed of different strains of bacteria and some probiotic types may be much more effective than others. It is also not true that having more types of bacteria in a probiotic is necessarily better than having fewer types.

Probiotics are one of the few types of supplement where proper scientific trials in humans have been carried out to determine their effect. This has been taken into account by the Supplements Compared Expert Panel and this is indicated in the product assessments and Supplement Reviews.

Virtually all studies with probiotics have found that larger numbers need to be taken to show benefits, or that having larger numbers of bacteria per dose increases the consistency of obtaining benefits. For a probiotic to be effective, the numbers typically required are a minimum of 1 billion per day, but the best products would provide more like 10 billion per day.

Evidence suggests that products which provide significantly less than this amount would typically have little, if any effect, and any benefit may take a long period of time to be observed.

Prebiotics are types of soluble fibre that stimulate the growth of probiotics when in the intestine, so adding them together in one product makes sense and can only be of benefit. However, to have a substantial effect the daily intake of prebiotics needs to be a minimum of 2-3 grams. Capsules and tablets do not provide this level, and so SC has a separate section for Probiotics and Prebiotics.

Probiotics are ‘living’ products and although when in capsules, powders and tablets, the bacteria are in ‘suspended animation’, that´s to say - they can still die. This die-off can be so fast that sometimes products which are on shop shelves and within sell by date can still be below the claim made on the label. At SC we have had all products under review checked by independent laboratories and to ensure that all products in the assessment meet the label claim for content.

Products which are kept in refrigerators (e.g. those found in many independent health food stores) are usually above specification.