InsightsFrenzy.com | Discover Insightful Content

How probiotics work and what are their benefits

Yogurt is probably the first probiotic that was ever identified and used. Although other types of probiotics were discovered and unearthed, the public association is so strong that a mere mention of probiotic will still bring yogurt to mind. That being said, the probiotic yogurt benefits are numerous in number. However, as mentioned earlier, yogurt is not the only probiotic in use now. The WHO (World Health Organization) has defined probiotics as any living microorganism that has a health benefit when ingested.

CFU, or colony-forming units, is the microbiological term for the density of viable bacteria in a product. CFU also happens to be a measure of the probiotic richness that a food item has.

Probiotics products and their working
Some of the rather well-known probiotic products are unpasteurized and non-flavored plain yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, pickles, tempeh, kimchi and kombucha tea, among others. These bacteria belong to different groups and are selectively effective with each different strain offering a varying degree of benefits. Scientists are trying to find specific bacteria for treating specific conditions. The exact mode of their action is still being studied. When naturally-occurring bacteria are lost, it is the probiotics that can help replace them as in the case of antibiotic treatment for diarrhea. When harmful bacteria grow, they cause disease. Probiotics can overpopulate the gut and drive out the malevolent bacteria and help cure the condition. Probiotics help move the food through the guts. The known conditions responding to probiotics are diarrhea associated with antibiotics, infectious diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

Benefits of probiotics
Recent research has shown probiotics to be effective in skin conditions like eczema, urinary and vaginal health, and in preventing allergies and cold and oral health.

Probiotics form an effective adjunct to antibiotic treatment for urinary infection. Researchers are showing that a regular use of probiotics help beneficial bacteria in establishing and maintaining a high density of occupation on the adherence sites in the urinary tracts thus preventing the harmful ones from taking a foothold. Urinary tract infections are a very common especially among women. Women suffering from recurrent bouts of urinary infections may benefit from regular use of probiotics.

Small studies have shown that using L.acidophilus as vaginal suppositories have helped manage an existing yeast infection and effectively support antibiotic treatment. It can prevent future bouts of infections also.

Vaginal infection is a major cause for preterm labor. If probiotics can play an effective part in controlling vaginal infections in pregnant women, it would be a great boon for maternal health. Normally pregnant women are prone to these infections.

Researchers also suggest that probiotics may have a beneficial effect on immunity and may help weight loss in overweight people.

Disclaimer:

The content provided on our blog site traverses numerous categories, offering readers valuable and practical information. Readers can use the editorial team’s research and data to gain more insights into their topics of interest. However, they are requested not to treat the articles as conclusive. The website team cannot be held responsible for differences in data or inaccuracies found across other platforms. Please also note that the site might also miss out on various schemes and offers available that the readers may find more beneficial than the ones we cover.

Popular Articles

Here’s What You Need to Know about Probiotics

Probiotics are a recent evolution in human health aspects and many people do not know about it and they generally have a common question, “What are probiotics?”. These are live bacteria and yeasts, which are considered good for health.

Here’s why probiotics are great for you

The word “probiotic” comes from the combination of a Latin proposition and a Greek word ‘pro’ meaning encouraging, in favor of something and ‘bio’ meaning life. Probiotics, essentially, are the live bacteria and yeast which are beneficial to humans and are ingested to populate the intestines.

Make Your Gut Healthy With Top-Rated Probiotic Foods

Make your gut healthy with top-rated probiotic foods There are two broad categories of bacteria, healthy and unhealthy bacteria. The unhealthy bacteria breed inside your body and cause diseases such as flu, stomach infections, typhoid, cholera, and son.

Here’s how probiotics help ease your digestive woes

For the longest time, probiotics have been known for their ability to help the digestive tract of the body. Consisting of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium, pro-biotics have been highly effective in easing digestion problems.

Why Do You Need To Eat Prebiotic Food

We all know that probiotics are the good bacteria in your colon that are responsible for a healthy gut. There is no doubt that probiotics are important, but there is something that is equally or in fact, more important than probiotics.

8 Health Benefits of Probiotics

What are probiotics? Since the 90s people have been increasingly curious about this term “probiotics.” So, what are probiotics? In simple words, probiotics are bacteria. Our body houses both kinds of bacteria, i.e., good and bad.