Bacteria magnified x 10,000

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are beneficial living microorganisms that support and maintain a healthy gastrointestinal system. There are hundreds of species of these microbes and many that have not been identified. Some varieties are essential for health including probiotic bacteria and other types are pathogenic and can be harmful. These bacteria either inhabit or pass through the gastrointestinal tract, and in a healthy digestive system, these microorganisms coexist in harmony in the gut.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes probiotics as ‘live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.’

Humans & bacteria

As humans we share our environment with a huge number and variety of other microorganisms and most of these are not visible to the human eye. A Dutch scientist Called Antony Van Leeuwenhoek is widely accredited with the discovery of bacteria in 1670 and over the last few centuries we have learnt a great deal more about them.

However, even though humans and probiotic bacteria have been living in harmony for millions of years, it is only in the last 20 or 30 years that scientists have begun to understand their significance. In recent years it’s become more and more apparent how certain bacteria are essential for health and the importance of the relationship between probiotic bacteria and humans.

What are commensal bacteria?

Today we can find bacteria almost everywhere and generally we think about them in the context of ill health or poor hygiene. This is not the whole story however as without certain bacteria, humans and most other species of animals would not exist, or could not live healthy lives. Pathogenic bacteria (or bad bacteria as they’re sometimes referred) often garner a lot of attention because they cause disease.

However, in reality, many bacteria are now understood to be beneficial and in some cases are essential to human health. These are known as commensal bacteria.

Right now, there are more than 300 different types of bacteria living in your digestive tract, many of which help your body to digest food and absorb nutrients. It’s amazing to think that a tablespoon of the contents of your large intestine contains more microorganisms than there are people on planet earth. In fact it’s impossible to imagine how many microorganisms we each carry around.

Many doctors and scientists now believe that in certain cases, if the digestive system becomes unbalanced or is not maintained adequately, this may in part be due to problems with commensal bacteria. Over the last few decades our diet in general has changed. Now the standard Western diet is deficient in the essential probiotics needed to maintain health. A lot of people know they now have to find other ways to maintain a healthy digestive system and balance. Consuming fresh, healthy probiotic bacteria helps to support healthy digestive functions. This is why many people now choose to drink a probiotic such as Symprove.