Updated: January 7, 2025

Probiotics are live microorganisms intended to provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut flora.

Probiotics are considered generally safe to consume but may cause bacteria-host interactions and unwanted side effects in rare cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines probiotics as live microorganisms that, "when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host." It's important to make sure you take the right probiotic supplements to boost your own health.

What Are Probiotics?

There are always microbes living inside our body, right from the gut to every part of the skin. Probiotics are also known as 'friendly' or 'beneficial' bacteria because they maintain a healthy gut. Your gut is colonized at birth and onward with bacteria that originate in the birth canal. A large number of these bacteria are regarded as being 'friendly' or part of the 'gut flora.' Some of the uses of bacteria that live in your digestive tract are digesting fiber into small fatty acids, producing special vitamins, and boosting your immune system.

Probiotic is derived from the Greek word pro, meaning 'promoting,' and biotic, meaning 'life.' Probiotics may increase the numbers of those beneficial kinds of bacteria that are good for the human body. Probiotics are available as pills and capsules or in foods they are incorporated into, like sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt, amongst others. They should not be mistaken for prebiotics, which is a type of fiber that acts as food for the bacteria in your colon.

In October 2013, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) organized a meeting of clinical and scientific experts on probiotics (with specialties in gastroenterology, pediatrics, family medicine, gut microbiota, microbiology of probiotic bacteria, microbial genetics, immunology, and food science) to reexamine the concept of probiotics. They define probiotics as "live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host." They also differentiated between products containing probiotics and those containing live or active cultures and established the following criteria:

Live or active cultures criteria:

• Any food with fermentation microbe(s)

• Proof of viability at a minimum level reflective of typical levels seen in fermented foods is suggested to be 1 * 109 CFU per serving.

• No specific research or evidence is needed to make this claim.

Probiotics criteria for products that do not make a health claim:

• A member(s) of a safe species, which is supported by sufficient evidence of a general beneficial effect in humans or a safe microbe(s) with a property (for example, a structure, activity, or end product) for which there is sufficient evidence for a general beneficial effect in humans

• Proof of viability at the appropriate level used in supporting human studies

Probiotics criteria for products that make a health claim:

• Defined probiotic strain(s)

• Proof of delivery of viable strain(s) at an efficacious dose at the end of shelf life

• Convincing evidence needed for specific strain(s) or strain combination in the specified health indication

Our body typically has both good or helpful bacteria and bad or harmful bacteria. Maintaining the correct balance between these bacteria is necessary for optimal health. Age, genetics, and diet may influence the composition of the bacteria in the body (microbiota). An imbalance is called dysbiosis, and this has possible links to diseases of the intestinal tract, including ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, and Crohn's disease, as well as more systemic diseases such as obesity and type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

What Are the Health Benefits of Probiotics?

During a delivery through the birth canal, a newborn picks up the bacteria Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Escherichia coli from the mother. These good bacteria are not transmitted during a Cesarean section and have been shown to affect infants' immune systems and gut flora development.

Probiotics protect us by aiding digestion and bolstering the immune system. A healthy gut microbiome filters harmful bacteria, toxins, and waste, ensuring proper gastrointestinal function. Probiotics are especially beneficial for infectious diarrhea, IBS, and metabolic conditions.

Hospitals are adopting probiotics as part of patient care protocols, particularly in critical and oncology settings. Specific strains like Saccharomyces boulardii prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea, while Lactobacillus rhamnosus aids in mitigating gastrointestinal distress during chemotherapy. Partnerships between hospitals and supplement providers are creating new opportunities in institutional healthcare.

What Are the Different Types of Probiotics?

We have many options available now to get various bacteria from our foods. However, it's not as simple as just adding them to the food. For there to be health benefits, the microorganism has to survive the passage through the gastrointestinal tract, survive the food manufacturing process, and grow and survive during the ripening or storage period. Also, the bacteria must not negatively affect product quality and be included on the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list. Most bacteria are included in the fermentation process.

Fermentation helps extend the shelf life of perishable foods. It is a slow decomposition process of organic substances induced by microorganisms or enzymes that essentially convert carbohydrates to alcohols or organic acids. The lactic acid supplies the bacteria, adding health benefits to the food. You can purchase foods that are fermented or ferment them yourself.

Kefir:

This could be the ideal probiotic dairy product because it contains bacteria and yeast working together to provide numerous health benefits. People with diabetes were given kefir milk containing Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and bifidobacteria vs. conventional fermented dairy. The hemoglobin A1C levels were significantly lower in the group consuming the kefir.

Kimchi:

This fermented vegetable is made from Chinese cabbage (beachu), radish, green onion, red pepper powder, garlic, ginger, and fermented seafood (jeotgal). The health benefits of kimchi are linked to anticancer, antiobesity, anti-constipation, colon health promotion, cholesterol reduction, antioxidative and antiaging properties, brain health promotion, immune promotion, and skin health promotion.

Yogurt:

Yogurt has positive effects on the gut microbiota. It is associated with a reduced risk for gastrointestinal disease and improvement of lactose intolerance (especially among children), type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, allergies, respiratory diseases, and improved dental and bone health.

Other Foods Without Substantial Research:

• Miso (fermented soybean paste)

• Tempeh

• Sauerkraut

• Aged soft cheese

• Sourdough bread

• Sour pickles

• Gundruk (nonsalted, fermented, and acidic vegetable product)

The production of probiotics for healthcare applications requires stringent quality controls. B2B suppliers are leveraging advancements in cold chain logistics to maintain the viability of probiotic strains from production to delivery. Innovations in encapsulation and freeze-drying technologies ensure stability and potency during distribution.

Supplementation

Supplements play an essential role when the diet is not adequate to supply our needs. In the case of probiotics, one's diet is the ideal source for probiotics. These are live bacteria and need to be carefully monitored, stored, and combined for the health benefits that one would be taking them for.

Probiotic supplements fall under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). This requires that the dietary supplement or dietary ingredient manufacturer be responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement or ingredient is safe before it is marketed. The only time that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may get involved is if action is needed to be taken against a manufacturer after the supplement is marketed and then found to be unsafe. This means that as much as we may know about probiotics, we can't be sure of the safety or content of the supplements available to us.

There is one Voluntary Certification Program by which a supplement manufacturer can choose to be evaluated. ConsumerLab.com (CL) is the leading provider of independent test results and information to help consumers and healthcare professionals identify the best health and nutrition products. Products that have passed their identity, strength, purity, and disintegration testing can print the CL Seal of Approval on their product. This is one step toward being confident that one is getting the amount and type of probiotic promised by the manufacturer.

How should people take Probiotics?

The requirements for a microbe to be considered a probiotic are that the microbe must be alive when administered, it must be documented to have a health benefit, and it must be administered at levels to confer a health benefit. It is recommended to take at least a billion colony-forming units (CFUs) daily.

Due to the increased interest in the usage of probiotics, there are many products that you may buy on the market. The worst thing that can be done is to ascertain the type of probiotic microorganism that is lacking in one's body. Do not be tempted to use that supplement which has many types of organisms. You also have to learn about what you are and be confident that there are actual academic statements that back what you expect. One should consult a doctor in a complicated situation to know whether probiotics might be helpful for you in your specific case and how much and which type of probiotics you should take. Maintaining good digestion is very crucial. Apparently, probiotics are effective for various diseases and may help to achieve a more favorable state of health in general. Research shows that more people may achieve certain health objectives if offered the correct probiotic type.

Final Thoughts

Probiotics offer immense potential for improving human health, from supporting digestion to enhancing immunity. Beyond individual benefits, the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries are leveraging probiotics to innovate therapies, optimize supply chains, and address unmet medical needs.

For B2B players, there is a rather vast opportunity in the probiotic market, either in the form of raw materials or functional foods or in the form of clinical research. With the right partnerships and a focus on quality, the healthcare industry can continue to deliver probiotics that make a tangible difference in people's lives.