BON-BIOTICS™
1. What are probiotics?
The World Health Organization recommends the following definition: Probiotics for Food Use are "Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.” Probiotics can either be bacteria such as Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria…or yeast such as Saccharomyces boulardii.
2. Are bacteria bad?
A good question, because bacteria are everywhere! In the air that we breathe, in the water, in the soil, in our food and in our body. There’s a micro-universe in there; our body is occupied by almost 100,000 billion bacteria. They live on our skin, in our mouth, our nose, and in the gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts. They are most numerous in the colon; there we call them the "intestinal flora”. They live and grow there and help tune-up our immune system so we can better fight infection. There are, however, harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria, Clostridium difficile…that cause infections, even disease. Some bacteria also can produce byproducts from their growth that are associated with cancer. Consuming probiotics is one approach to reducing the impact of harmful bacteria that live in our gastrointestinal tract or that we are exposed to.
3. Where do probiotics come from?
Probiotics can be isolated from fermented food, vegetables, the human body…
4. What are the scientifically proven benefits of probiotics?
The main proven health benefits of probiotics concern:
- Prevention and reduction of diarrhea of various origins (rotavirus, antibiotics, Clostridium difficile, traveler’s diarrhea…)
- Alleviation of Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms (diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation)
- Improvement of immune system
- Alleviation and prevention of bacterial vaginitis
- Prevention and reduction of a topic eczema in children
5. Do "healthy” people need to take probiotics?
While healthy people do not need probiotics, there is more and more evidence that probiotics can help people stay healthy in certain ways, such as improving immune function, maintaining normal GI function and preventing infection.
6. Do all probiotics have the same effect?
No, the probiotic effect is strain dependent. Two strains of Lactobacillus rhamnosus may have different probiotic properties, that is why it is important to know which strain is in a product and ask for its specific documentation.
7. How do probiotics work?
Studies indicate that probiotics are able to
- Produce pathogen inhibitory substances (e.g. lactic acid, bacteriocins, anti-microbials)
- Inhibit pathogen attachment to intestinal cells and thus avoid infections (e.g., competition for adhesion, stimulation of mucus production)
- Modulate the immune system (regulation of interleukins & cytokines)
- Produce specific metabolic activities (breakdown microbial toxins, breakdown lactose, etc.)
8. How long does it take to feel the effects of taking probiotics?
Effects should normally be noticed within a few days for acute infections but can take several weeks for chronic problems like IBS or IBD.
9. What parameters should one examine when choosing a probiotic formulation?
A probiotic should:
- Be safe for the consumer
- Be delivered alive to the gut
Process technology to stabilize microbes for long-term storage
- Remain alive in the gut
- Resist gastric acid and bile
- Have proven efficacy
10. Do multistrain probiotic products work better than single strain products?
The intestinal microflora contains 1000 different bacterial species. These different microbes reside in different niches of the intestinal tract (small intestine vs. colon; luminal vs. mucosal). Single strains cannot reside in all these niches. Probiotic microbes affect their host through multiple modes of action. A single strain is limited to a few modes of action. Theoretically, a multiple strain product has many advantages over a single strain product especially for a probiotic product aimed at well-being (digestion & immunity). However, some single strains have been shown effective in specific applications: IBS (L. plantarum 299v), C. difficile infections (S. boulardii)
11. What is the recommended dosage of probiotics?
Most positive clinical studies conducted in humans have used probiotics at high levels, around 1 billion to 10 billion viable cells per day and even more. Unfortunately, though, most studies have not tested whether lower levels would be adequate. Many of the studies are conducted on disease endpoints, so often the question of what it takes to keep you healthy (as opposed to what it takes to make you better once sick) is not addressed. Lower levels of probiotics consumed over long period of time may be adequate for prevention of some illnesses. In addition, it will also depend on the strain; that is why generalizations to all probiotic products are difficult to make.
12. Do probiotics have any side effects and are there people who should not take probiotics?
In clinical studies, probiotics haven’t shown any side effects even if a few individuals have experienced a temporary increase in mild flatulence. Institute Rosell has never experienced any side effects with its probiotics. However, on the principle of precaution, people who have had recent surgery, bloody diarrhea, or are severely immunocompromised should take probiotics only under the care of a healthcare professional.
13. Are there any risks attached to taking too many probiotics?
Probiotic overdoses have never been reported even with high dosage of hundred of billions per day.
14. Can probiotics be taken by infants?
Probiotics are considered safe for infants and can be taken by infants with the same precautions as for adults. They should consult with their physician when taking probiotics. Children with short bowel syndrome should avoid taking probiotic as it produces D-lactic acid which can cause risk of acidosis.
15. Can probiotics be taken during pregnancy?
No side effects have been reported with pregnant women taking probiotics. They should consult with their physician when taking probiotics.
Yes, they can and they even should be taken with antibiotics to avoid antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Even if most of the probiotic bacteria are sensitive to several antibiotics, they can be taken at the same time as the pharmacokinetics are different.
17. Is it better to take probiotics on an empty stomach or with meals?
It is better to take probiotics during meals. The food exerts a buffering effect and thus reduces the acidity of the stomach. As probiotics are sensitive to high acidity content (low pH), it is better to take them when stomach pH is at it highest (i.e., during meals). ProbioKidz can be taken any time of the day as the probiotics are protected by Micro-Encapsulation, a patented Technology from Institut Rosell. This technology will ensure probiotics are delivered alive to the gut to confer health benefits.
18. How do the freeze-dried cells of probiotics strains regenerate in the GIT?
Probiotics are freeze-fried so that they are able to survive for a long period of time in food supplements or pharmaceuticals. However, in the intestine they will find all the moisture and nutrients they need to regain activity.
19. What factors are probiotics sensitive to?
Even freeze-dried, probiotics remain sensitive to many environmental factors such as: humidity, heat, gastric acidity and many other chemical and physical stresses.
20. How should probiotics be stored?
It is always better to store probiotics in a cool and dry place. However, it is not always possible; that is why Institute Rosell has develop several technologies to increase the sheld life of its probiotic strains and products and can commit to 18 to 24 months’ shelf life at 25°C for many of them.
Probiotics should not be exposed to extreme temperatures over 30°C for a long period of time as it will dramatically affect their survival.
21. Are dead bacteria as effective as live ones?
Since probiotics by definition are alive, dead bacteria are not probiotics. Dead (heat killed) bacteria have been shown to be less effective than live probiotics in human trials.
