Science and Technology Innovation Center Liu Yanyang December 22, 2023
Trillions of bacteria live in the human intestine, which can affect the digestive system, immune system, nervous system, urogenital system, etc. These large numbers of bacteria can be roughly divided into three categories: beneficial bacteria, harmful bacteria, and neutral bacteria. Beneficial bacteria, also called probiotics, can synthesize various vitamins, amino acids, short-chain fatty acids, active small molecules, etc., participate in the digestion of food, promote intestinal peristalsis, inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria, and decompose harmful and toxic substances, etc. Harmful bacteria are a type of pathogenic microorganisms, such as Helicobacter pylori, Salmonella, and Shigella, which can cause a variety of diseases. Neutral bacteria, also known as opportunistic pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and enterococci, are beneficial to health under normal circumstances. Once the intestinal flora is out of control or transferred from the intestine to other parts of the body, it may cause many problems. and disease.
Probiotics are active microorganisms that exert beneficial effects on the host by colonizing the human body and changing the composition of the host flora. At present, nearly 10,000 published academic papers around the world have studied the various functions of different probiotic strains, confirming that the core function of probiotics is to improve the health of the human gastrointestinal tract, including balancing intestinal flora and relieving intestinal inflammation. Inflammation relieves irritable bowel syndrome, repairs intestinal mucosa, etc. The World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) points out that probiotics have "strong evidence" for their effectiveness in relieving diarrhea and constipation; they can effectively prevent and treat digestive tract diseases. The European Society of Primary Care Gastroenterology points out that specific probiotics can reduce gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, and probiotics can significantly relieve or improve lower gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, and constipation.
Intestinal flora imbalance can change intestinal motility, visceral sensitivity, and immune response, thereby promoting inflammation. This change can lead to the occurrence of many diseases, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases. Moreover, intestinal excretion affects various metabolisms of the human body. An imbalance of intestinal microecology will aggravate the development of various chronic diseases, thus forming a vicious cycle. Professor Jeffrey I. Gordon of Washington University in St. Louis has led a team to long-term research on the relationship between intestinal flora and human health. They have also confirmed that intestinal flora imbalance is closely related to malnutrition, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. , these diseases can be prevented and treated by regulating and balancing the intestinal tract with probiotics.
Another major use of probiotics is to improve the body's immunity and stimulate the immune response. 60% to 70% of lymphocytes in the human body are found in the intestine, and these lymphocytes are important tissues that maintain the balance of the body's immune function. Probiotics can regulate the intestinal mucosal barrier function, enhance immune response, improve immune function, and quickly restore damaged immune function. The metabolites of probiotics can activate immune cells to produce growth factors, interferons, etc., promote the growth of immunoglobulins, and improve the body's specific and non-specific immune responses.
It can be seen that probiotics are not an IQ tax and are suitable for children with low immunity and prone to intestinal problems and middle-aged and elderly people with gradually weakened intestinal functions, followed by constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, lactose intolerance, etc. People with gastrointestinal symptoms. For them, probiotic supplements can work to some extent to boost immunity.
When taking probiotic preparations, you should pay attention to several aspects:
1. Probiotics are active microorganisms and should be taken with warm water. It is strictly forbidden to take them with boiling water.
2. When taking antibiotics, you should consult a physician.
Probiotic preparations must not be stored at high temperatures. If possible, store them at low temperatures.