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Good bacteria, or microorganisms living in the human body, regulate the proper functioning of the body. Each of us has 90 trillion good bacteria, which together contain a hundred times more genes than the human genome. This is two kilograms of bacteria without which we would not be able to live and enjoy good he alth. Do you know which good bacteria protect against disease?

What does the term " good bacteria " mean? Most of the microorganisms that inhabit the human body are friends because they protect our body against pathogenic bacteria. They also act as watchdogs to prevent bad bacteria from reproducing freely.

Good Lactic Acid Bacteria

Most bacteria live in the large intestine, but the most important species of lactic acid bacteria of the genusLactobacillusandBifidobacteriumare the most important for maintaining good condition of the whole organism andSaccharomyces boulardii , representing yeasts.

Together with other bacteria, they tightly cover the intestinal epithelium, constituting a barrier for pathogenic bacteria or for harmful substances that reach the intestines with food. A balance has developed between bacteria and the human body over the centuries of evolution. When it is disturbed, disease can develop. Therefore, our body has been equipped by nature with a mechanism called probiosis. It is the ability to increase the number of probiotic bacteria in the digestive tract.

Functions of he althy bacteria

There is overwhelming scientific evidence that the bacteria mentioned above:

  • are direct producers of B vitamins,
  • lower the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood,
  • help to maintain the proper acidity of the intestine, thanks to which calcium, iron and zinc are more easily absorbed,
  • improve bowel movements, which has a positive effect on metabolism and prevents constipation,
  • help fight stomach ulcers,
  • produce natural antibodies,
  • relieve pain and itching caused by vaginal mycosis after antibiotic therapy,
  • stimulate the immune system through the ability to adhere to the intestinal mucosa, thus protecting it against the effects of various pathogens,
  • soothesymptoms of lactose intolerance, which occurs in the absence of the lactose-degrading enzyme ß-galactosidase.
  • prevent colon cancer (putrefactive and faecal bacteria in the large intestine produce toxic substances, including carcinogens),
  • prevent intestinal infections by limiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria,
  • improve the bacterial flora after antibiotic diarrhea and food poisoning,
  • lower blood pressure,
  • protect against tooth decay by reducing the number of bad bacteria (staphylococci) in the mouth.
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Which bacteria should the probiotic product contain?

In stores, we will find many products defined as probiotic, although they are not. If the product packaging does not indicate which specific strain was used for its production, it is not probiotic. If the product is probiotic, the label must include the name of the genus, species and strain of the bacteria that may benefit us from eating, e.g. Bifidobacterium (genus) lactis (species) DN-173 010 (strain).

For bacteria to have a beneficial effect on our body, a product must contain at least 10 million viable bacterial cells per ml, which is ten to the seventh power per ml. The prefix "bio" in the name of the product is not a guarantee of probioticity, it can only mean that it comes from an organic farm.

Good bacteria, obesity and diabetes

Bacteria living in the digestive tract are essential for proper digestion and protection against pathogenic microorganisms. They also affect the way fat is digested. The bile acids produced by the liver are supposed to dissolve the fat in the upper intestine. But gut bacteria can reduce the effectiveness of bile acids.

The better the microbes digest fiber, the more calories they absorb. But each of us has a different set of microorganisms, so some people digest fat more easily and others do not. This, in turn, can cause overweight, obesity, and even type II diabetes, which is directly related to obesity. But the bacteria in our bodies ( FirmicutesandBacteroidetes ) can affect the absorption of more nutrients from our food.

It is also known that obese people have more bacteriaFirmicutes . A diet low in calories and rich in vegetables can be a rescue, which will change the proportion between bacteria in favor of Bacteroidetes, which helps to keep a slim figure.

Good bacteria invagina

Estrogens are mainly responsible for the proper development of the microflora that protects the vagina. Therefore, after the menopause, the microflora already contains a small amount of good bacteria. Good bacteria can also be killed by antibiotic treatment, birth control pills, the use of tampons, and pregnancy. The disturbance of the microbiological balance of the vagina most often results in unpleasant infections, burning, itching and more frequent urination. Therefore, every woman should have a probiotic on hand to restore this balance.

Probiotic or prebiotic? What's the difference?

Probiotics are live microbial, orally administered, selected cultures of bacteria or yeasts, most often lactobacilli ( Lactobacillus ), the task of which is beneficial for he alth in the digestive tract by maintaining proper intestinal microflora. The concept of probiotics assumes introducing live bacteria into the diet in such a form that they survive in the stomach, duodenum and are active in the colon. For a probiotic to protect our digestive system, it must be properly nourished.

And this is where prebiotics come to our aid, i.e. nutrients that feed on probiotic bacteria and are not digestible. Such properties have the soluble fractions of dietary fiber - inulin and oligofructose. They are found in many plants, such as tomatoes, chicory, leeks, onions, garlic, asparagus, bananas and peanuts.

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Immune system