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Probiotics Probiotics
Live Gut Microorganisms!

"DID You Know"
1 sentence statement of supplement fact!

Probiotics

What are Probiotics?

An October 2001 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) defines probiotics as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host." Following this definition, a working group convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/WHO in May 2002 issued the Guidelines for the Evaluation of Probiotics in Food.[15] A consensus definition of the term probiotics, based on available information and scientific evidence, was adopted after the aforementioned joint expert consultation between the FAO of the United Nations and the WHO. This effort was accompanied by local governmental and supragovernmental regulatory bodies' requirements to better characterize health claims substantiations.

That first global effort was further developed in 2010; two expert groups of academic scientists and industry representatives made recommendations for the evaluation and validation of probiotic health claims.[16][17] The same principles emerged from those two groups as were expressed in the "Guidelines" of FAO/WHO in 2002. This definition, though widely adopted, is not acceptable to the European Food Safety Authority because it embeds a health claim that is not measurable.[7]

A group of scientific experts assembled in London, Canada, on October 23, 2013, to discuss the scope and appropriate use of the term "probiotic". That meeting was motivated by developments in the field that followed the formation of the 2001 definition, and the panel's conclusions were published in June 2014.[18] The panel noted that a more grammatically correct definition would be worded as, "live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host."

Where does Probiotics come from?

Live probiotic cultures are part of fermented dairy products, other fermented foods, and probiotic-fortified foods.

Additionally, lactic acid bacteria (LABs), which are food fermenting bacteria, have the ability to prevent food spoilage and can improve the nutritive value of the foods they inhabit. Also due to its low cost and low energy requirements when processing and preparing foods, acid fermentation, combined with salting, remains one of the most practical methods of preservation of fresh vegetables, cereal gruels, and milk-cereal mixtures.[20]

Some fermented products that contain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) include: vegetables such as pickled vegetables, kimchi, pao cai, and sauerkraut; sourdough bread or bread-like products made without wheat or rye flour, amino acid/peptide meat-flavored sauces and pastes produced by fermentation of cereals and legumes; fermented cereal-fish-shrimp mixtures and fermented meats; soy products such as tempeh, miso, and soy sauce; dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, buttermilk; and non-dairy products such as bee pollen.

More precisely, sauerkraut contains the bacteria Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus brevis, Leuconostoc citreum, Leuconostoc argentinum, Lactobacillus paraplantarum, Lactobacillus coryniformis, and Weissella spp. Kimchi contains the bacteria Leuconostoc spp., Weissella spp., and Lactobacillus spp. Pao cai contains L. pentosus, L. plantarum , Leuconostoc mesenteroides , L. brevis, L. lactis, and L. fermentum. A list of many other bacteria found in several Asian fermented fruits and vegetables also is available. Kefir contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, Lactococcus lactis, and Leuconostoc species.[34][35] Buttermilk contains either Lactococcus lactis or L. bulgaricus.

Other acidic bacteria, said to be probiotic,[36][37] also can be found in kombucha. This drink contains Gluconacetobacter xylinus. It also contains Zygosaccharomyces sp., Acetobacter pasteurianus, A. aceti, and Gluconobacter oxydans.

Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?

All persons can benefit from the use of probiotics! The improvement of overall gut health is beneficial to all athletes as well as everyday persons who desire an optimal healthy life style.

How much should be taken? Are there side effects?

Always follow manufactures guidelines unless otherwise instructed by your health care practitioner.

Recent Studies

As food products or dietary supplements, probiotics are under preliminary research to evaluate if they provide any effect on health. In all cases proposed as health claims to the European Food Safety Authority, the scientific evidence remains insufficient to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between consumption of probiotic products and any health benefit. There is no scientific basis for extrapolating an effect from a tested strain to an untested strain. Improved health through gut flora modulation appears to be directly related to long-term dietary changes. Claims that some lactobacilli may contribute to weight gain in some humans[79][80] remain controversial.

References: Realted Pages:

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