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What are probiotics? A beginner’s guide to gut health
The human gastrointestinal tract houses trillions and trillions of microbial cells—not millions, not billions, trillions. It’s also home to several different kinds of microorganisms, from bacteria and viruses to fungi, archaea, and protozoa. In other words, there’s a lot going on—and a delicate equilibrium to maintain. Keeping that balance isn’t quite as simple as drinking kombucha or noshing on kimchi and sauerkraut, which is a common misconception.
Gut health is complex—and when it comes to supporting the gut, scientists are still elucidating the exact mechanics. The formula isn’t as cut-and-dried as you might assume. Take fermented foods, for instance. While some, like yogurt, have been associated with health benefits in studies, scientists point out it’s not always possible to pinpoint whether those benefits are a direct result of the live cultures in the yogurt, some other ingredient in the yogurt, or the yogurt in its entirety.
All that said, for certain inquiries, clarity does exist: How might people feel more comfortable with their digestive health, for instance? Are there actions anyone, no matter their diet or lifestyle, can take to increase their confidence in this arena? Which supplements can best support their journey? Pose these questions to any number of dietitians, doctors, biologists, and scientists, and you’ll likely encounter a recurring answer: probiotics. Ritual dove into answering some of the most common questions about probiotics.
Essential Takeaways
- Probiotics are living strains of bacteria (often referred to as “good bacteria”), which, when consumed in adequate amounts, provide health benefits to the person ingesting them.
- But what, exactly, are the benefits? Do fermented foods count? Get answers to some of the most common questions below.
What Are Probiotics?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines probiotics as live microorganisms, or “good bacteria,” which, when administered in adequate amounts, provide a health benefit to the person taking them. They can be found in fermented foods and probiotic supplements.
Before diving into the benefits of probiotics, it is important to touch on the microbiome, which plays an important role in human health. The gut microbiome refers to the trillions of microorganisms that live in the gastrointestinal tract. Some people may think of these gut microbes as inherently harmful “germs,” but reality tells us otherwise: Many bacteria are actually helpful, and work hard behind the scenes to support gut health, digestive health, and immune health.
What Are the Benefits of Probiotics?
Each human has a unique gut microbiome, a signature bacterial fingerprint shaped by their environment, diet, and lifestyle. But the daily disturbances of modern life—poor diets, stress, travel, the use of certain medications (including antibiotics), not to mention plenty of other factors—can all throw gut microbiota off-kilter. That’s where ingested probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, come in: to help support gut health, especially in the face of modern life’s inevitable hurdles.
What Types of Bacteria Are in Probiotics?
Probiotics can contain many different types of microorganisms. They’re identified by their specific strain, which includes the genus, species, subspecies (where applicable), and an alphanumeric strain designation.
Current evidence indicates that probiotic effects are strain-specific (in other words, just because one type of Lactobacillus might produce a specific effect, it doesn’t necessarily mean another Lactobacillus strain will, too—although it’s possible). That’s why it’s important to look for probiotic supplements that include strains supported by evidence from human clinical studies.
Fermented Foods vs. Probiotic Supplements
Many people looking to increase their probiotic intake turn to fermented foods and drinks for their fill of good bugs. Miso, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, sourdough bread, wine—there’s no shortage of options.
What there is a shortage of, however, is sound scientific evidence: While many fermented foods do include live and active cultures—and these cultures can survive well during a product’s shelf life—studies show that once they’re actually ingested, they typically don’t make it through the harsh conditions of the stomach. In other words, fermented foods may play a role in gut health, but by relying solely on food, there’s no guarantee the intended bacterial benefits will be reaped.
Fermented foods are not the same as probiotics. To be clear: Live and active cultures are not the same thing as proven probiotic microorganisms. According to the World Health Organization’s definition, fermented foods do not qualify as probiotics because:
- They often do not have proven health benefits. (Authoritative published research on the impact of fermented foods on gastrointestinal health is sorely lacking.)
- They may not survive transit through the stomach and small intestines.
- The product may not include an adequate amount of strain to be considered probiotic.
When it comes to consuming probiotics, going the supplement route may not be the easiest way to ensure the beneficial bacteria can make it to the intestines alive (which would be the whole purpose). It’s even more true once you consider the wide variation in live culture composition between fermented food products and brands.
Picking a High-Quality Probiotic Supplement
In order to meet the definition of a probiotic, government agencies like the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommend a potential strain meet the following criteria:
- The strain must be alive. A probiotic strain has to be alive at the time of ingestion. It also has to survive the harsh conditions in the stomach and small intestines (and reach the large intestine still alive).
- The dosage must be adequate. Probiotic strains must be ingested at a high enough dose to have an impact. The specific dosage should be based on documentation from human clinical trials.
- The benefits should be science-backed. In order to qualify as a probiotic, a strain should be supported by evidence from human clinical trials that show the strain supports a health benefit. (If you’re taking a probiotic with multiple strains, you’ll want to ensure each individual strain has been clinically studied.)
What is a synbiotic?
Some probiotic supplements may be combined with a prebiotic supplement to support gut health, which is called a synbiotic.
Other Factors to Consider
Many types of probiotics need to be protected in some way from heat, oxygen, light, and humidity in order to remain effective. Some brands require refrigeration, while others offer shelf-stable options that use intelligent packaging choices to preserve the formula.
While the route you choose is ultimately up to you, it’s important to keep in mind that reaping the benefits of probiotic supplementation requires consistency. The organisms can’t stick around for very long, so for them to help support the gut, you’ll need to take them daily.
This story was produced by Ritual and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
