Why do we need probiotics

The world heard about these bacteria at the beginning of the last century, when the Russian biologist, Nobel Prize winner Ilya Mechnikov first spoke about the benefits of fermented milk products. He found that they contain the same living microorganisms that are in our gastrointestinal tract, which help it to function successfully. The process of creating a fermented milk product is simple: milk is fermented with the help of one or another type of bacteria, and the result is yogurt, kefir, yogurt – it all depends on which particular bacterium was involved in the process. However, no matter how different the taste of fermented baked milk, acidophilus or ayran may be, their beneficial effect is similar. “Those fermented milk products that we see on store shelves do not have a “narrow specialization,” explains Natalya Efimochkina, a leading researcher at the laboratory of the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. “Their action and purpose are about the same: normalization of the intestinal microflora and increased immunity.”

Protection system

“Intestinal microflora are microorganisms that are involved in the process of digestion of food and provide the intestines with immune protection by producing antibiotic-like substances,” says gastroenterologist Natalya Bredikhina. “In addition, they help neutralize toxins produced during digestion.” Another important function of these bacteria is the production of vitamins, such as vitamin B12, which regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body, and folic acid, which is necessary for the development of the circulatory and immune systems. (And by the way, it practically does not come to us with food.)

The microflora of our body is a complex and unstable system. Overwork, emotional stress, infections, chronic diseases, prolonged use of antibiotics, an unbalanced diet, changes in sleep and rest patterns – all this can kill some bacteria and create favorable conditions for the development of others, which, as a result, become too much. The consequences of such changes in the intestinal microflora can be very diverse: this is a violation of the motility of the gastrointestinal tract (in other words, diarrhea or constipation), increased susceptibility to infections, possible allergic reactions associated with a drop in immunity. “In addition, when we are stressed, we stop eating regularly,” says Andrey Prodeus, a pediatric immunologist, “and then nausea, pain and discomfort may occur due to intoxication with our own pathogenic microflora. In particular, a condition called “traveler’s diarrhea” is known, when intestinal disorders occur due to changes in water, climate, and nutrition. Such “shifts” are exactly what doctors call a state of dysbiosis or dysbacteriosis. This is a disease, and it is treated with the same bacteria, only the patient receives them not from yogurt, but from drugs that the doctor prescribes based on the results of the analysis in order to restore the microflora. It is the doctor, emphasizes Natalya Bredikhina, because “uncontrolled intake of a probiotic drug, depending on its duration, will either lead to the same dysbacteriosis or will not have any positive effect.” But in order to prevent dysbacteriosis, there are probiotic products with their preventive effect. There are beneficial bacteria in yeast bread, kvass, cereals … but in almost imperceptible quantities. Their main source is dairy products.

Only living

Today, no one doubts the benefits of fermented milk products. “They can be attributed to the so-called functional nutrition*,” explains Andrey Prodeus, “which, in addition to its nutritional benefits, also has the ability to benefit our health.” However, for this benefit to actually manifest itself, several important conditions must be met. “Probiotic strains contained in fermented milk products must pass through the upper gastrointestinal tract, where they meet, for example, with stomach acid,” explains Natalya Bredikhina. “They must therefore have qualities that will allow them to overcome such barriers and settle in the colon.” One of these qualities is, paradoxically, the sheer number of bacteria. “In order for a fermented milk product to effectively work to prevent dysbacteriosis, the total content of microorganisms in it must be at least one million per milliliter,” explains Natalia Efimochkina. “In medicinal preparations with probiotics, the dose is increased many times over.” But in order for microorganisms to “work”, they must remain alive. And for this they need special conditions, primarily temperature, – then they will be able to remain active for six weeks. The recommended storage temperature for fermented milk products is from 4 to 8 °C. But in the heat, the activity of bacteria increases, and their life cycle may end before we have time to benefit from yogurt or kefir.

From a store or pharmacy?

How to choose “your” fermented milk product? According to your own taste, the experts are encouraging. “Today, scientists have up to 600 strains,” says Natalya Efimochkina. – Fermented milk products usually contain three main types: bifidobacteria, lactobacilli and enterobacteria (E. coli). Each of them must always be present in our microflora in balance with the rest. Do we all need probiotics? The answer is simple: everyone! “Restrictions are possible only if a person has an allergic reaction to the product or if he has a lactose deficiency, that is, milk intolerance,” Andrey Prodeus clarifies. Probiotics can be for us the prevention of many diseases: allergies, gastritis.

stomach ulcers, liver disease. “It is enough for a healthy person to consume two to four glasses of a fermented milk product per day. But if he suffers for a long time from a change in stool or pain in the stomach, then it is worth talking only about probiotics prescribed by a doctor, ”stresses Natalya Bredikhina. And a few more considerations. It is not recommended to drink too acidic drinks (for example, acidophilus or matsoni) for those who have increased stomach acidity. And overweight people should pay attention to the percentage of fat content of the product. In any case, if doubts remain, a nutritionist or nutritionist will come to the rescue, who will be able to choose fermented milk nutrition, taking into account the individual needs of the body.

* In 1980, this term was introduced by Japanese nutritionists, who described a complex of food products, the daily use of which contributes to the prevention of a number of diseases. Functional nutrition includes foods containing fiber (muesli, bran, cereals, raw vegetables and fruits …), as well as fish and seafood.