Skip to main content

What Role Do Probiotics and Prebiotics Play in Our Bodies?


The last several years have brought probiotics and prebiotics into the spotlight. However, it can be confusing as to what the difference is between the two and the role they play in our bodies. Experts say both are important to our health; probiotics are beneficial bacteria, while prebiotics are food for these bacteria.

In other words, “Probiotics are live bacteria found in certain foods or supplements and can provide numerous health benefits. Prebiotics are substances from types of carbs (mostly fiber) that humans can’t digest. The beneficial bacteria in your gut eat this fiber.”

The Harvard Medical School explains that our large intestine has 100 trillion good bacteria essential to our health called microbiome. These good microbes help maintain healthy bowel function. Each person has their own unique microbiome from birth and we add to the good microbes with the food we consume. However, a diet high in sugar and fat can negatively affect gut health by encouraging the growth of bad bacteria, allowing them to grow faster and colonize more easily, without as many helpful bacteria to prevent it from happening.

Research shows certain foods like yogurt and kefirs with live, active cultures are beneficial to adding to our microbiome. Unpasteurized, fermented foods like kombucha, miso, sauerkraut and sour pickles contain healthy microbes but most packaged fermented foods are pasteurized, which destroys the microbes. The best way to get around that is to learn to ferment foods at home.

Experts say while there are many probiotic supplements on the market, it is not easy to find exactly what you need. Most probiotic supplements contain just a few bacterial strains, compared to the many stains naturally found in the gut. “Although there are many claims made by probiotic products, there’s now reliable, evidence-based support that certain probiotics — like Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium (bacteria), and Saccharomyces boulardii (yeast) — are generally safe and helpful in specific conditions.”

MorningStar of Pasadena is a luxury 55+ community 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. Along with our beautiful studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans, we offer a whole host of amenities, care services and wellness programs. Please visit our website for more information about outstanding independent and assisted living in Pasadena, CA.

This post is intended for informational purposes only. Please contact your health care provider with any questions or concerns you have regarding your health.

MorningStar’s foundation is based on the mission to honor God, value seniors and invest in our staff to create a unique senior living experience. Set in a warm, loving atmosphere with beautiful surroundings and resort-style amenities, we provide the finest independent and assisted living Pasadena, CA offers. Contact us or visit our website to learn more.

Sources:

healthline.com/nutrition/probiotics-and-prebiotics
healthline.com/health/probiotics-and-digestive-health/how-long-does-it-take-for-probiotics-to-work#choosing-a-probiotic

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How Many Steps Per Day for Better Health?

  We have all heard about the value of walking 10,000 steps a day but recent studies show it may not actually be the magic number. One study published by JAMA found walking 7,000 steps or more a day may decrease the risk for mortality and offer better overall health. In the cohort study of 2110 adults with a mean follow-up of 10.8 years, participants who walked at least 7000 steps a day, compared with those taking fewer than 7000 steps, had a 50% to 70% lower risk of mortality. Researchers also noted, “There was no association of step intensity with mortality regardless of adjustment for step volume.” A 2020 study found a decreased risk for mortality in participants who took 8,000 steps a day than those who only took 4,000 steps a day. In the same year, another study found more steps taken each day were linked to lower rates of diabetes. Researchers say the bottom line is evidence points to the importance of increased physical activity. Before you begin walking, talk to your health...
Post a Comment
Read more

Find Happiness by Living With Less

Known as the “Minimalists,” Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburn spend their time helping people to learn to live with less. They say a typical house contains as many as 300,000 items; and their advice is to rid yourself of items that do not add value to your life. While obviously easier said than done, if you are an older adult who is trying to downsize for a move to senior housing , the following tips may help. One suggestion is to start by decluttering; not only does it give you more space in your new home but living around clutter has been linked to anxiety and stress. When you throw away or donate stuff cluttering up your home, it gives room for the things you really like. Less stuff lightens your load and helps you get into the habit of not buying things you don’t need. Not only does this mindset save money, but Fields Millburn explains, "Understanding the why behind simplifying gives us the leverage we need to begin to let go and helps us understand what is excess.” Th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Be an Active Partner in Your Medical Care

Experts suggest that a good way to reduce medical errors regarding your care or that of a loved one is to be an active partner in the process whether in a hospital setting, doctors’ office or the pharmacy. In fact, a study showed 7% of hospitalized patients experienced an event that was considered preventable which negatively affected their health. Furthermore, harmful errors in primary and outpatient health care settings are typically related to diagnoses, prescriptions and use of medicines. Mistakes associated with misdiagnosis result in delayed treatment for the real problem and having the wrong medications prescribed or supplied can cause serious complications. However, it is important to keep in mind that some medical errors are a result of patients failing to disclose all the medications they take including prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Another problem is the failure to reveal pertinent details regarding a person’s prior medical history as well as lifestyle habits s...
Post a Comment
Read more