The Use of Probiotics in Prevention and Treatment of Diseases

Abstract

Probiotics are live microorganisms that when administered on man in adequate amount can help to prevent and treat various diseases. Advances in probiotic research have confirmed the health benefits of some bacterial strains used as probiotics. The main strains used which include lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria that inhabit the intestinal tracts. The activities of probiotics were discussed, which include food digestion, production of useful products to destroy pathogenic organisms, and to complement the functions of missed digestive enzymes. The paper listed the organisms used as probiotics as belonging to three classes of bacteria which are Lactobacilli, Bifidobacterium and Enterococci. The mechanism by which probiotics work which include competing for dietary ingredients as growth substrate of pathogens, bioconversion of some food substrate to products that has inhibitory properties, production of growth substrate like vitamins for the normal intestinal microbes, production of bacteriocin that give direct antagonism to pathogenic microbes, competitive exclusion for binding sites of pathogens and stimulation of innate immune response among others were discussed. The use of probiotics for treatment or prevention lactose maldigetion, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflamatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), colon cancer, hepatic diseases, hyperlipidemia diarrhea, vaginal infection, obesity and diabetes and its use in stimulation of mucin and maintaining of gut integrity in prevention of diseases were stated. In conclusion  foods such as Sweet acidophilus milk, Ice cream, Low cheddar cheese, Whey drink, Natural –set yogurt, Yogurt and Soy milk have been observed to serve as carrier of probiotics.