Sep 29 / 2021

Probiotics, prebiotics and symbiotics: health begins in the gut

The good state of our health depends, to a large extent, on the intestinal flora: on its content and balance between the bacterial species that make it up. Contributing to the body probiotics and prebiotics is beneficial for health.

Probiotics are living organisms that, when ingested in adequate amounts, exert a beneficial and healthy effect on the body, like yogurt.
Prebiotics, present in fruits and vegetables, are indigestible substances that promote the selective growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria.
Symbiotics are products that jointly incorporate probiotics and prebiotics. The model for symbiotic food would be mother's milk.

Intestinal Flora

Our body is colonized by several hundred bacterial species that come to account for a number ten times higher than the number of cells that make up our body.

The highest concentration of bacteria in the human body is found in the intestines, which are home to billions of them. The set of bacteria that live in the intestine is called the intestinal flora or microbiota and the good state of our health depends, to a large extent, on whether this flora contains an adequate amount of bacterial colonies and maintains a balance between the bacterial species that make it up. make up.

When does the intestinal flora appear?

During pregnancy the fetus is free of bacteria. The intestinal microbiota begins to develop in the same birth canal where the fetus comes into contact with millions of maternal bacteria (lactobacilli and bifidobacteria) that begin to colonize the intestine. Through it, the creature continues to acquire and diversify the bacterial flora, the composition of which is completed throughout the first two years of life. Upon reaching this age, the established flora is practically definitive and tends to remain stable throughout life, although certain circumstances can alter its balance.

Functions of the intestinal flora

The main functions of the intestinal microbiota are:

Nutritious and metabolic: they help the digestion, absorption and synthesis of many nutrients.
Protective: they create a barrier that prevents the development of other types of bacteria that could cause infections and inhibits the development of some viruses.
Immunomodulatory: it has an essential role in the proper functioning of the immune system.

Intestinal imbalance

There are circumstances that can disrupt the balance of the intestinal flora. These are the following:

Stressful situations.
Inadequate diets: those poor in fiber, rich in protein and fat, with an excess of coffee, chocolate or sugars.
Toxic habits: alcohol, tobacco, etc.
Certain diseases: like the common gastroenteritis.
Some drugs: antibiotics, drugs that damage the gastric or intestinal mucosa.
Food intolerances.
Aging itself: involves a decrease in microbial colonies.

Restoring intestinal balance

Intestinal imbalance is not forever but can be recovered in two different ways:

Providing external microorganisms with beneficial properties: probiotics.

Probiotics

Probiotics are living organisms that, ingested in adequate amounts, exert a beneficial and healthy effect on the body. They can be found in different ways:

googletag.cmd.push (function () {googletag.display ('div-gpt-ad-1463571651012-0');});

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are indigestible substances that promote the selective growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria.

They are carbohydrates that are found in the composition of various vegetables and fruits. Despite being found in numerous vegetables, when the eating habits of the general population were analyzed, it was found that, as a general rule, the amount of fructo-oligosaccharides consumed per day is about 800 milligrams, when the advisable thing would be between 2 and 6 grams. Fructo-oligosaccharides are part of the composition of some that incorporate them to supplement the diet, among them: some dairy preparations, drinks, baby foods, cookies and breads.

The Symbiotics

They are products that jointly incorporate probiotics and prebiotics. The intention is that when the probiotics reach the intestine they do so accompanied by those substances (prebiotics) that help its growth and colonization. The model of the symbiotic food would be breast milk, since it contains both lactic bacteria (lactobacilli and bifidobacteria) as well as fructooligosaccharides and nucleotides that also favor the development of bifidobacteria. For this reason, infant milk has been incorporating symbiotics in their formulations to resemble breast milk more. There are also symbiotic food supplements that are presented in capsules or powder to dilute in water or other liquids.

Although in normal conditions a balanced diet should be enough, in situations in which the balance is broken and symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation, gas, a swollen belly or slow digestion occur, these products can be beneficial, always within the framework of a diet and habits of healthy life and with an adequate and not exaggerated consumption.

«Informative note: the contents included in this section offer information related to existing therapies explained by specialists with experience in the field with an informative objective. MAPFRE does not intend under any circumstances to position itself on its suitability or expressly promote its use ”.

Providing indigestible substances that the organism's microbiota can take advantage of for its own development: prebiotics.
- Forming part of the food composition: an example is yogurt, which is milk fermented with lactic acid bacteria (Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus or acidophilus).
- As a food supplement: in capsules or powder to dilute in water or other liquids.
- In the form of medicine: they contain various beneficial bacterial strains to regenerate the intestinal flora.

(Updated at Apr 14 / 2024)