COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, LEXINGTON, KY, 40546

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Probiotics Friendly

Ingrid Adams, Nutrition and Food Science

robiotics are live microorganisms, mainly bacteria and some yeast that have been traditionally used in the production of fermented products, vegetables, and soy products. also are sold asP dietary supplements or drugs.

For a product to be called pro- The health of the body depends biotics, all three of the following on the balance between good criteria must be present. The and bad bacteria. When foods microorganisms must be: containing probiotics are eaten, yy Live the bacteria present in these yy Present in sufficient foods help increase the number concentrations of healthy bacteria found in the y gut. In other words, they tip the y Beneficial to the person con- scale in favor of healthy bacteria. suming it How probiotics Sources of probiotics work in the body Probiotics may be present naturally in many foods that When we think of bacteria we are fermented or may be added Probiotics might often think of substances that to food, beverages, and supple- make us sick and spoil food. ments (Table 1). provide several Seldom do we think of bacteria benefits, according in terms of “good” or “friendly.” Health effects However, trillions of bacteria Probiotics might provide several to the National occur naturally and actually benefits, according to the Na- grow and flourish in our guts. tional Institute of Health. How- Institute of Health. Most of these bacteria are not ever more research is needed to harmful and do not cause ill- confirm their effectiveness and ness. The number and types of safety. Probiotics may: bacteria depend on a person’s y age, gender, and diet. y Treat diarrhea, especially fol- lowing the use of antibiotics The gut contains a balance yy Reduce symptoms of irritable of good bacteria and harm- bowel syndrome and inflam- ful bacteria. This balance can matory bowel syndrome such be thrown off when there is an as Crohn’s disease increase in harmful bacteria by y the use of antibiotics, after some y Promote regularity y surgeries, and in some diseases. y Decrease lactose intolerance

Agriculture and Natural Resources • Family and Consumer Sciences • 4-H Youth Development • Community and Economic Development EXTENSION Table 1. Sources of probiotics. Cultured dairy products Fermented vegetables Fermented soy products Others yy yy Kimchi: A Korean fermented yy : A Japanese food made yy Beer (microbrew) yy Cottage dish made of vegetables with by fermenting rice, barley yy Kombucha: A fermented drink yy : A cultured or fermented varied seasonings. and/or soybeans with salt and made with tea, , and pro- beverage that is similar to yy Pickled ginger fungus. biotic bacteria and yeast. . yy Pickles (Brine-cured, yy Natto: Fermented soy beans. yy Wine yy Sour without vinegar) yy Shoyu and Tamari: Types yy Yakult: A Japanese milk-like yy Yogurt yy Sauerkraut of . product. yy Tempeh: Made from partially cooked, fermented soybeans.

yy Improve serum cholesterol Understanding Each genus contains a number levels names of probiotics of species ( aci- yy Decrease the risk of certain Probiotics are identified by their dophilus, Lactobacillus casei, cancers genus. This genus is like a fam- etc.) and each species contains yy Modify gut immune response ily name. Probiotics with the different strains Lactobacil( - and improve its barrier func- same genus belong to the same lus acidophilus La-1). Different tions family. For example, probiotics strains of the same species of yy Control or reduce the devel- with the genus Lactobacillus or probiotics have different charac- opment of certain allergies belong to the teristics or benefits. yy Reduce or shorten the risk of same family. You will often see The beneficial effects of a partic- certain intestinal infections “Lactobacillus” shortened as “L.” ular probiotics may not apply to and “Bifidobacterium” as “B” another. It is very important for What amount of (Table 2). consumers to pay attention to probiotics is needed for the strain, species, and amount health effects? Table 2. Family of probiotics. of probiotics in products. There is no official dose of Lactobacilli Bifidobacteria The type and amount of pro- probiotics needed for health biotics vary among products. benefits. The amount of live Lactobacillus acidophilus; Bifidobacterium Many will list strains microbes in a probiotic is mea- L. acidophilus La-1 bifidum for which health benefits in hu- sured in colony forming units L. casei B. breve mans have not been shown. (CFUs). Experts think a daily L. reuteri B. infantis Products that contain strains dose of at least 1 billion CFUs is L. rhamnosus B. longum from the Lactobacillus, Bifido- needed to reap health benefits. bacterium, Streptococcus ther- Many products on the market L. bulgaricus mophilus, and Saccharomyces may exceed this dose. L. plantarum families have been shown to be safe for healthy individuals.

2 Don’t be fooled When choosing probiotics: The label of some foods, includ- yy Check the rating of the prod- ing dairy, fermented vegetables, uct. Choose products that and beer and wine, contain have at least 1 billion pro- the term “live culture.” You biotics units, the minimum may also see the term “live amount needed to provide and active culture.” This term health benefits was developed by the National yy Check the bacteria. Look for Yogurt Association and is found products with strains that are on many refrigerated and frozen well studied such as Lactoba- . Products with this seal cillus, Bifidobacterium, Strep- have a certain amount of bacte- tococcus thermophilus, and ria when the product is manu- Saccharomyces factured. Refrigerated cultures yy Be wary of products that Even if a product la- should have at least 100 million claim miraculous cures and cultures per gram; quick weight loss. bel states it contains should contain at least 10 mil- Common red flags include: lion cultures per gram. “live cultures” or “live yy Promises of quick and Even if a product label states it easy remedies for complex and active cultures,” contains “live cultures” or “live health-related problems and active cultures,” the product the product might yy Claims that are too good to might not be probiotic — that is, be true not be probiotic — contains live microorganisms in y adequate amounts and provides y Testimonials used as evi- that is, contains live a health benefit to the host. dence of effectiveness yy The use of vague terms, microorganisms in Food or supplements? such as “clinically tested,” Tests done by Consumer Reports “patented,” etc. adequate amounts magazine have found higher yy Recommendations based on and provides a health numbers of probiotics in most a single study yogurt products than in supple- Always talk to your doctor if benefit to the host. ments. In addition, when you you are thinking about using eat foods containing probiotics probiotics to treat an illness. you obtain the probiotic bacte- Some probiotics may cause gas ria, the nutrients present in the and bloating and may produce food, and the beneficial bacterial other side effects in people who compounds produced during have underlying health condi- fermentation. For example, tions. Probiotics should not be when you eat probiotics in the used in place of seeing a health form of a yogurt drink you get care provider. a range of probiotics (read the label) as well as nutrients pres- ent in dairy products such as calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, potassium, and protein.

3 References “Functional Foods Fact Sheet: “An Introduction to Probiot- Probiotics and Prebiotics,” In- ics.” National Center for ternational Food Information Complementary and Alterna- Council, June 2006. Accessed tive Medicine at the National October 14, 2008, www.ific. Institute of Health. Accessed org/publications/factsheets/ October 14, 2008, http://nc- preprobioticsfs.cfm. cam.nih.gov/health/probiotics. “Hot topics: Probiotics and Drafting Guidelines for the digestion.” American Dietetic Evaluation of Probiotics Association. in Food. (Joint FAP/WHO L.A. Smolin and M.B. Grosve- Working Group report, nor, Nutrition: Science & Ap- presented April 30 and May plications. (New Jersey: John 1, 2002 in London, Ontario). Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003). Accessed May 23, 2010, ftp:// “Probiotics are enough in your ftp.fao.org/es/esn/food/wgre- diet?” Consumer Reports, port2.pdf. 34-35. Accessed March 8, “Food-Friendly Bugs do the www.jigsawhealth.com/docu- Body Good” International ment_manager/ConsumerRe- Food Information Council, ports_Probiotics.pdf. March/April 2003. Accessed S. Santosa, E. Farnworth, and P. October 14, 2008, www.ific. Jones, “Probiotics and their org/foodinsight/2003/ma/ potential health claims.” friendlybugsfi203.cfm. Nutrition Review 64(6) (2004), 265-274.

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