Why take Probiotics?

If you are eating a perfectly balanced diet, without a lot of processed products, and have a stress-free life, you may not need probiotics as a supplementary aid to maintain your general health and immunity. However, nowadays, in the modern world, we encounter daily stress from our environment and from the foods we eat. In addition, we tend to consume many forms of chemicals such as antacids, antibiotics, food additives, alcohol and other foods and drugs, which lead to a disturbance and reduction in the concentration of beneficial bacteria within our gastrointestinal tract.

By the age of 2 or 3, most children have developed some degree of intestinal balance and a fairly effective immune system. However, as we age, environmental and nutritional factors very often disturb this balance and create the need for probiotic supplementation. The result is Dysbiosis, a disruption of the microflora and an increased susceptibility to potentially pathogenic bacteria. Dysbiosis may be caused when we are subjected to stressors such as:

Antibiotic therapy, anti-inflammatory steroids or chemotherapy
The use of antibiotics, steroids or chemotherapy can adversely affect the gut flora. For instance, when antibiotics are used, a proportion of the beneficial microorganisms becomes disrupted and can lead to diarrhoea and an increased susceptibility of the gut to colonisation by pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella etc. The proportion of beneficial microorganisms killed in the gut (by an antibiotic) will depend on the action of the antibiotic (narrow or broad spectrum) and the duration and frequency of the course.

Changes in food and water normally associated with travel
When we travel, our bodies must endure flights or other means of travel, which make us tired, and any time changes which might occur. Ultimately, this puts stress on our bodies. We may be taking drugs such as anti-malaria tablets, which will affect the gut microflora, and, in addition, our food and water sources will be different, leading in many cases to digestive upsets associated with travel to foreign countries.

Hormonal fluctuations around puberty, during menstruation, pregnancy, post-natally or during the menopause
The effects of hormones during different stages of our lives are such that the balance of the gut microflora can be disrupted.

Age
The levels of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacilli decline with age due to a reduction in the production of gastric acid. This lessens the acidity of the gastrointestinal tract and thus increases the levels of coliforms and other pathogenic bacteria in the gut.

Immunological compromise
Stress can depress the immune response of animals and humans and some antibiotics have been shown to depress the immune response significantly, leading to a reduction in weight of the spleen and thymus. Withdrawal of the antibiotics in these cases can lead to the restoration of gut flora and a return to immune function. Antibiotics can also often reduce the Lactobacilli population.

Unhealthy diet
Dietary changes, as well as a lack of a healthy diet, can influence the balance of the microflora in the gut thus predisposing us to digestive upsets. A well-balanced diet, sufficient in energy and nutrients as well as dietary fibre, is also of great importance in maintaining a healthy gut. In addition, eating behaviour that leads to indigestion will act to disrupt the microflora balance.

Stress/modern lifestyle
There is strong evidence to suggest that stress can affect the composition of the gut microflora. Stress can be described as a factor that stimulates homeostatic, physiological and behavioural responses in excess of the norm. Stress increases the blood level of adrenal corticosteroids, which affects the peristaltic movement and the production of mucus within the gut. All stressful situations we are exposed to contribute towards an increased intestine pH (more alkaline), and the gastrointestinal tract is therefore likely to favour the development of pathogenic species such as E. coli at the expense of the beneficial species.

Infections or illness
Infections or illness can be caused by pathogenic microbes, causing symptoms like diarrhoea, excess gas production and constipation. In addition, an unbalanced microflora can result in an overgrowth of detrimental, disease-causing bacteria and yeasts such as Candida albicans, Clostridium difficile etc. In some instances it may be that pathogenic bacteria are able to colonise the gut, leading to symptoms such as diarrhoea. Here, pathogen numbers in the gut will be sufficiently high to induce such symptoms.

Malabsorption or inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis
Bowel problems, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcerative colitis and sometimes Crohn’s disease, are commonly associated with a dysbiosis. An unbalanced microflora may also result in arthritis, headaches and migraines, eczema, chronic fatigue, sinus problems or psoriasis.