Probiotics - Are You Eating Them Right? This article will teach you about probiotics!

Before understanding probiotics, let’s first talk about what is the intestinal microecological system?

The human intestinal microecology system is the largest and most important microecology system in the body. It plays an important role in the health and nutrition of the host and is a key factor in activating and maintaining the physiological functions of the intestine. Under normal circumstances, the human body selectively allows certain microorganisms to colonize the intestine and provide them with a suitable habitat and nutrition; these microorganisms and their metabolites play a biological barrier function in the human body, participate in the maturation of the immune system and the regulation of immune responses, and play an important role in various physiological metabolisms in the body. Some studies have even pointed out that the number and type of beneficial bacteria in the human intestine can reflect the health status of the human body to a certain extent.

When the body is affected by factors such as age, environment, diet, and medication, it will cause intestinal microecological imbalance, also known as intestinal flora imbalance. It mainly refers to the imbalance caused by changes in the composition of intestinal flora, changes in bacterial metabolic activity, or changes in the local distribution of flora; it manifests as changes in the type, quantity, proportion, location transfer, and biological characteristics of intestinal flora. Its main clinical manifestations are divided into three degrees according to the degree of intestinal microecological imbalance:

(1) Primary imbalance: also known as latent microecological imbalance, in which changes in the bacterial flora composition can only be detected through quantitative bacterial examinations. Clinically, there are no or only mild manifestations. This is a reversible change and can recover naturally after the cause is removed.

(2) Second degree imbalance: also known as localized microecological imbalance, which is irreversible and can manifest clinically as a variety of chronic diseases, such as chronic enteritis and chronic dysentery.

(3) Tertiary imbalance: also known as alternimicrobial flora or superinfection, most of the native bacteria in the intestine are suppressed, while a few bacteria overproduce. The clinical manifestations are acute and severe. It often occurs after long-term and large-scale use of antibiotics, immunosuppressants, cytotoxic drugs, hormones, and radiation, or when the patient suffers from diabetes, malignant tumors, cirrhosis, and other diseases.

Probiotic preparations are the most widely used microecological preparations in clinical practice. They can be divided into native bacteria preparations, symbiotic bacteria preparations and fungal preparations according to the source and mechanism of action of the strains. The strains used in native bacteria preparations are derived from the native flora of the human intestine. After taking them, they can directly supplement the native bacteria and play a role, such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Clostridium butyricum, Streptococcus faecalis, etc. The strains used in symbiotic bacteria preparations are derived from outside the human intestine and have a symbiotic effect with the native bacteria of the human body. After taking them, they can promote the growth and reproduction of native bacteria, or directly play a role, such as Bacillus, Bacillus subtilis, etc. Fungal preparations of Saccharomyces boulardii have their own unique mechanism of action. Unlike chemical drugs, probiotic drugs are living microorganisms, and their effects have obvious strain specificity and dose dependence.

Probiotics, can you take them whenever you want? Regardless of the indication?

The answer is of course no!

The effects of probiotic drugs are obviously strain-specific and dose-dependent, that is, the therapeutic effect of a certain strain does not mean that all probiotics of the same genus or species have this effect. When using, attention should be paid to the strains contained in various drugs and the evidence-based evaluation effects of the drugs after they are marketed. Different strains require different doses to work, and even the same strain requires different doses for different diseases, so attention should be paid when choosing drug doses.

The following is a summary of the probiotics or strains recommended for different diseases.

Acute diarrhea in children: Recommended products include Bacillus subtilis divalent live bacteria granules, Bifidobacterium quadruple live bacteria tablets, Bacillus licheniformis live bacteria granules, compound lactic acid bacteria capsules, Clostridium butyricum live bacteria powder, Bifidobacterium triple live bacteria powder, Clostridium butyricum divalent live bacteria powder, Saccharomyces boulardii powder, etc.

Prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea: Recommended products include Bifidobacterium triple live bacteria powder/capsules, Clostridium butyricum dual live bacteria powder, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus triple live bacteria tablets, Bacillus subtilis dual live bacteria granules, Clostridium butyricum live bacteria powder, Bacillus licheniformis, Saccharomyces boulardii, etc.

Prevention of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea: Saccharomyces boulardii preparations are recommended.

Viral enteritis such as rotavirus: It is recommended to use probiotic preparations such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Clostridium butyricum, Streptococcus faecalis, Bacillus and Saccharomyces boulardii in the early stage.

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection : We recommend Bacillus subtilis dual live bacteria granules, Bifidobacterium quadruple live bacteria tablets, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus triple live bacteria tablets, Clostridium butyricum dual live bacteria capsules, and Saccharomyces boulardii, combined with triple or quadruple therapy against Helicobacter pylori (Hp).

Functional dyspepsia (including anorexia in children) and functional abdominal pain : probiotic preparations such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium butyricum and Streptococcus faecalis are recommended.

Functional constipation : Recommended products include Bacillus subtilis combined live bacteria granules, Bifidobacterium combined live bacteria powder, Clostridium butyricum combined live bacteria powder, Saccharomyces boulardii, and Bacillus licheniformis.

Neonatal jaundice (neonatal hyperbilirubinemia): Recommended products include Bifidobacterium quadruple live bacteria tablets, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus triple live bacteria tablets, Bacillus subtilis dual live bacteria granules, Bacillus licheniformis live bacteria granules, Clostridium butyricum dual live bacteria powder, Saccharomyces boulardii, etc.

Breast milk jaundice : Probiotic preparations such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Bacillus subtilis, Clostridium butyricum, Streptococcus faecalis, and Bacillus are recommended as auxiliary treatments.

Feeding intolerance in premature infants : Recommended products include Bifidobacterium-Lactobacillus triple live bacteria tablets, Clostridium butyricum live bacteria powder, Bifidobacterium triple live bacteria powder, Bacillus subtilis dual live bacteria granules, Clostridium butyricum dual live bacteria powder, Bifidobacterium live bacteria capsules, Saccharomyces boulardii powder, etc.

For those who are lactose intolerant : We recommend Bacillus subtilis combined live bacteria granules, Bifidobacterium combined live bacteria powder, Clostridium butyricum combined live bacteria powder, etc.

Acute infectious diarrhea in the elderly : It is recommended to use antibacterial drugs in combination with a triple live bifidobacterium preparation on the basis of routine fluid replacement and correction of electrolyte imbalance.

Irritable bowel syndrome : Bifidobacterium triple live bacteria and Bifidobacterium quadruple live bacteria are recommended as auxiliary medications. You can also try Bacillus licheniformis live bacteria, Bacillus subtilis dual live bacteria, Bacillus coagulans live bacteria tablets, Clostridium butyricum enterococcus triple live bacteria tablets, Clostridium butyricum live bacteria, etc.

Chronic constipation : Recommended products include Bifidobacterium triple live bacteria powder/capsules, Bifidobacterium-Lactobacillus triple live bacteria tablets, Bifidobacterium-Lactobacillus quadruple live bacteria tablets, etc.

Inflammatory bowel disease : It is recommended to use mesalazine in combination with triple live Bifidobacterium or double live Bacillus subtilis.

Cirrhosis : Bacillus licheniformis, Bifidobacterium triple live bacteria capsules, Bacillus subtilis dual live bacteria enteric-coated capsules, compound Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Clostridium butyricum dual live bacteria powder are recommended as auxiliary medications.

Can probiotics be taken at the same time as antibiotics?

Probiotics are living microorganisms and should not be taken at the same time as antibiotics to avoid affecting the efficacy. If antibiotics are required at the same time, the dosage of probiotics should be increased or the time of taking the medicine should be staggered, preferably with an interval of more than 2-3 hours. Saccharomyces boulardii, butyric acid bacteria and Bacillus preparations are not sensitive to antibiotics and can be used at the same time as antibiotics.

Currently, the clinical application scope of probiotic preparations is becoming more and more extensive, but it should be made clear that this type of drug is not a "panacea" that can cure all diseases. It should be combined with specific circumstances to understand whether there is or is likely to be a bacterial disorder, whether there are indications for use, etc., to avoid the abuse of probiotic preparations.

Author: Jin Hui