Probiotics: what they are, what they are for and how to take them

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in the intestine and improve the overall health of the body, bringing benefits such as facilitating digestion and absorption of nutrients, and strengthening the immune system.

When the intestinal flora is out of balance, which happens after the use of antibiotics or when you do not have a healthy and balanced diet, the intestine ends up being populated by bad bacteria, which do not help the immune system and leave the body susceptible to diseases.

What are probiotics for?

The main benefits of probiotics include:

Combat and prevent intestinal diseases such as colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, Chron's disease and intestinal inflammation; Fight diseases like cancer, candidiasis, hemorrhoids and urinary tract infection. Improve digestion and fight heartburn; Combat constipation and diarrhea, regulating intestinal transit; Increase the absorption of nutrients, such as vitamin B, calcium and iron; Strengthen the immune system, by increasing the production of defense cells called macrophages; Prevent the proliferation of bad bacteria in the intestine; Helping to digest lactose, especially in people with lactose intolerance; Prevent problems such as obesity, high cholesterol and hypertension; Prevent food allergies and intolerances.

A healthy intestinal flora rich in probiotics starts to be formed from birth, especially when the baby is born by normal birth and when he is exclusively breastfed during early life.

How to take probiotics

There are two main ways to ingest probiotics: the first is by increasing the consumption of foods with natural probiotics, such as yogurt or kefir, for example, and the other is through the use of probiotic supplements.

1. Probiotic foods

Probiotic capsules

Some foods are rich in natural probiotics. Some examples of these foods include:

Natural yogurt: they are the main and easiest source of probiotics on the market, but there are also versions of flavored yogurts that keep the beneficial bacteria alive; Kefir: is a fermented product with yeast and bacteria that is similar to yogurt, but has a higher content of probiotics. See more about kefir; Fermented milk: these are special products that usually contain Lactobacillus added by the industry, with Yakult being the most famous; Kombucha: a fermented drink made mainly from black tea; Oriental products based on soy, vegetables and greens, such as Miso, Natto, Kimchi, which can be purchased in specialized stores.

Learn more about these foods in the following video:

To keep the flora healthy, it is advisable to consume at least 1 food source of probiotics per day, especially during and after the use of antibiotics, which end up destroying the healthy intestinal flora as well. Here's how to make homemade yogurt.

2. Probiotic Supplements

In addition to food, probiotics can also be consumed in the form of supplements in capsules, liquids or sachets, which must be diluted in water or natural juices to be consumed. Some examples are PB8, Simfort, Simcaps, Kefir Real and Floratil, and can be found in pharmacies and nutritional stores.

There are several types of supplements, which include between 1 and 10 different types of probiotics. The most important ones are usually:

Bifidobacteria animalis : helps to strengthen the immune system, in addition to helping with digestion and fighting bacteria transmitted by contaminated food; Bifidobacteria bifidum : are present in the small and large intestine, helping in the digestion of dairy products; Bifidobacteria breve : they are present in the intestine and the vaginal tract and help to fight infections by bacteria and fungi; Bifidobacteria longum : is one of the most common types of probiotics in the intestine and helps to eliminate toxins from the body; Lactobacillus acidophilus : it is perhaps the most important type that helps in the absorption of various nutrients, in addition to fighting infections and facilitating digestion. L. acidophilus are also present in the vagina, helping to fight infections; Lactobacillus reuteri : they are present especially in the mouth, stomach and small intestine, being important against infection by H. Pylori; Lactobacillus rhamnosus : they are present in the intestine and can help to quickly fight cases of diarrhea, especially when traveling to other countries; Lactobacillus fermentum : help to neutralize products and toxins released during digestion, improving the environment for the growth of intestinal flora.

The greater the diversity of probiotics, as well as the number of bacteria within each pill, the better the supplement, as it will facilitate the faster development of a healthy intestinal flora. Ideally, probiotics should be ingested before or just after a meal, so that food helps bacteria survive gastric acid and reach the intestine, where they can multiply more easily.

It is important to remember that the consumption of probiotics in the form of supplements or foods rich in these bacteria, it is also important to maintain a healthy diet rich in fiber, as fibers are the main foods for probiotics, favoring their survival in the intestine.

Difference between Prebiotic and Probiotic

While probiotics are healthy bacteria that populate the intestine, prebiotics are fibers that serve as food for probiotics and that favor their survival and proliferation in the intestine.

Some examples of natural prebiotics are oats, onions, garlic, green bananas and green banana biomass, for example.