Once again about the non-existent disease "dysbiosis"
Probiotics and prebiotics
Daria Sarkisyan, Copper NewsEveryone knows that the intestinal microflora needs to be maintained.
And if it is not maintained well enough, dysbiosis will occur and it will need to be restored. You can use yogurt, you can use capsules. Yogurt is tastier, capsules are somehow more solid - here everyone chooses what is closer to him. But in a good way, common sense should be closer: of course, you should not believe all this nonsense, which is actively promoted through advertising. And here's why.
What is itThe bacteria living in the human body are several times more than the cells of the body itself, there are several hundred of their species.
They are located mainly in the intestine. There, some of the bacteria help, for example, digest food, some are potentially dangerous, but they do not manifest themselves in any way, which allows them to peacefully coexist with the rest. Under the influence of antibiotics or some other drugs, as well as various diseases, the balance that has been established among the microorganisms living in the intestine is disturbed. As a result, pathogenic bacteria get out of control and can provoke diarrhea, pain, flatulence, etc. And in this case, in Russia, you can usually hear in the doctor's office: "You have dysbiosis." In fact, it is the same as if a traumatologist wrote in the card of a person with a broken arm: "Diagnosis: pain in the arm." Dysbiosis is not an independent disease, it is a symptom. And, of course, first of all it is necessary to find the reason. Nevertheless, in some situations, attempts to "restore the intestinal microflora" may be justified.
In this case, probiotics (preparations containing "beneficial bacteria") and prebiotics (what they feed on) are usually used. There is also a method of fecal transplantation, but it is not widely used.
When they are neededAlthough there is an increased interest in probiotics, it was possible to convincingly prove their effectiveness only in a small number of cases.
Apparently, they really help with antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Since antibiotics kill bacteria, probiotics should be taken two hours before antibiotics. Most likely, in children with diarrhea caused by rotavirus, large doses of lactobacilli have an effect – the duration of the disease will be reduced by half a day. There is evidence indicating that probiotics also help with irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance and complications of ulcerative colitis treatment. However, in the case of these diseases, additional research is needed.
When is it pointless to use probiotics? Recently it was found that these drugs have no effect on the course of colic in children.
"Strengthening immunity" is also not the best idea. In Europe, it is forbidden to tell in advertising probiotics and yogurts with "beneficial bacteria" about reducing the number of colds and generally improving the immune system thanks to these products. The fact is that such an effect has not been proven, and even, rather, the opposite has been proven.
Doctors also do not recommend "maintaining" the intestinal microflora with the help of preventive probiotics. It just doesn't make sense. To understand why, it is enough to know the mechanism of action of probiotics.
How they workThere are several assumptions about how exactly probiotics help to cope with diseases and unpleasant symptoms.
For example, it is believed that they directly or indirectly kill those bacteria that harm the body, as well as reduce their growth. Moreover, they replace "beneficial bacteria" that died under the influence of some drugs or due to a disease - in this way they help restore the necessary balance. (Although, of course, their number is small.)
Which ones to chooseThose who want to buy probiotics have two ways: to the grocery store or to the pharmacy.
Of course, yoghurts taste nicer than pills, but the problem with them is that no one can predict how many bifidobacteria and lactobacilli will end up in the intestines. The fact is that they "wait" for a buyer for some time, then pass through hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which destroys a significant amount of them, and only after that they end up where they are most needed.
The composition of probiotics from the pharmacy may be more diverse than in yoghurts. Although, of course, bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are most common. These drugs usually have an intestinal-soluble shell, which may help them reach the intestine in a predictable amount. But no one can guarantee its quality: in the West, where everything that is produced on the pharmaceutical market is strictly tested, probiotics are not related to medicines, but to biologically active additives, while in Russia these drugs (and in some cases dietary supplements) traditionally do not undergo qualitative studies of efficacy and safety. Therefore, it is desirable that a competent specialist prescribes probiotics, besides, he knows that different bacteria produce different effects and not all methods of production of these drugs leave bacteria a chance to survive.
What are prebiotics?Prebiotics are carbohydrates that "good" bacteria eat.
It makes no sense to buy them on purpose: they are found in tomatoes, asparagus, onions, garlic, artichokes, chicory and bananas. By themselves, they are not able to cope, for example, with antibiotic-associated diarrhea, so it is better to purposefully introduce them into the diet together with probiotics.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru09.06.2014