Question

What are probiotics? give examples.

Answer 1

Probiotics are living microorganisms (usually bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut that are taken as dietary supplements or found in foods. Most probiotics are bacteria similar to those naturally found in the intestine. They may occur naturally in yogurts and certain fermented foods.

Example:

-Bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are probiotics that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities.

-Saccharomyces boulardii, a species of yeast, has been described as a biotherapeutic agent and several clinical trials have shown its beneficial effects in the prevention and the treatment of intestinal infections and in the maintenance of inflammatory bowel disease