Frequently Asked Questions
What are bacteria?
Bacteria are small, single-celled living organisms, which reproduce by cell division. Most bacteria use organic matter for their food and produce waste products as a result of their life processes. They can be shaped like spheres, rods or spirals and can be found in virtually any environment. The digestive system of an adult human being contains about 100 trillion bacteria.
Are bacteria dangerous?
Normally bacteria are not dangerous to humans. In fact most of them contribute positively to normal human growth and development. There are, however, harmful bacteria that cause infections and even disease. They are known as pathogenic bacteria and include well-known disease spreader O157:H7.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are bacteria that reside in the digestive tract and can provide certain health effects. Most probiotic products contain the bacteria from the genera Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium.
Who needs to add probiotics to their diet?
Examples of reported health benefits due to probiotics include a positive effect on digestion, rotavirus diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, traveler's diarrhea, constipation, vaginal infections and atopic eczema. Probiotics have also shown to be effective in other areas, for example the ability to decrease the risk of colon tumors, to lower the level of cholesterol and to boost the immune system.
How do probiotics affect human health?
If the digestive system of a human being is in perfect balance, the level of health-promoting bacteria in our body is sufficient. When this balance is disturbed and the natural level of beneficial bacteria is therefore reduced, a person will typically benefit from a probiotic supplement. Many factors in our modern life may cause such imbalance, for example, stress, traveling, antibiotic treatment and consumption of food additives, certain foods and drugs.
What is the difference between probiotics and functional foods?
'Functional food' is a definition used for a wider range of food products with added health properties that go beyond normal nutrition. A food product can be functional due to a probiotic bacteria culture or other functional ingredients like vitamins, calcium, fiber or antioxidants. In many regions of the world, probiotics are the most well-known and successful functional ingredient in the food industry.
Which products contain probiotic bacteria?
Probiotic bacteria are most often found in fermented dairy products. The most common applications are yoghurt and drinking yoghurt, but other probiotic dairy products like cheese, milk, sour cream and kefir also exist on the market. Many dietary supplement products also contain probiotic bacteria. In addition probiotics are used as feed additives and animal health products to improve animal production.
Is the effect of a probiotic yoghurt the same during its shelf life?
This is a difficult question. There is no doubt that the level of probiotic bacteria is highest when the product leaves the dairy, but if a stable strain is used, and the product is handled and labeled correctly, a sufficient level of bacteria will be present during the entire shelf life.
Generally it is good to consume probiotics in fermented dairy products, as the product in itself helps the probiotics survive by buffering the acidic nature of the stomach. Some people prefer to prepare their own probiotic yoghurt at home to make sure that it is consumed when most effective.
Are probiotic bacteria in dietary supplement capsules really alive?
Probiotic bacteria can remain alive as dried bacteria in capsules or powders if dried and stabilized properly. They are in a dormant cycle while dried - and will then start to grow again after they reach the moist environment inside your body. Stability varies depending on different strains, storage conditions and product forms.
How do I make sure that the probiotic products I purchase are effective?
First of all, you need to make sure that you consume enough probiotics to achieve an effect. Most products should be consumed regularly to be effective (e.g., every day).
You also need to know that a stable, safe and effective bacteria strain is used. One way to confirm that the supplier is reliable is to check how much documentation is available. For example, you can find the name of the bacteria strain on the product label, and then search the internet for scientific articles.
Also, be sure to follow the manufacturers' recommendations on shelf life and how to store the product.