Probiotics and Prebiotics are specialized functional foods with physiologically active components, that reduces the risk of chronic diseases and provide health benefits, beyond basic nutrition. Compared to a Probiotic which introduces exogenous bacteria into the colon, Prebiotics are generally colonic food that enters the colon & serve as a substrate for endogenous colonic bacteria, indirectly providing the host with energy, metabolic substrate and essential micronutrients. Probiotics are administered in the form of bacterias, yeasts and moulds that are clinically useful in Infectious Diarrhea, Bacterial aginosis, Gastroenteritis, Urinary Tract Infections and Immune System Disorders. Microorganisms used as Probiotics are Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus spp. etc. Prebiotics are available in form of various polyols, disaccharides & non-digestible oligosaccharides. Generally, Probiotics and Prebiotics are well tolerated amongst individuals, in rare cases complications may arise such as Cardiac valvular disease (lactobacillus species only), impaired intestinal epithelial barrier like intestinal inflammation, Central venous catheter in premature infants etc. Therapeutic doses of Probiotic varies with probiotic strain, test subject & delivery form, when it is taken with food. Again, effective dosages of Prebiotics, may differs for different Prebiotics, as these are generally a mixture of different chain length carbohydrates. Some of the established marketed brand of Probiotic are ‘Yogurt Drink ‘, a beverage that contains Lactobacillus acidophilus La -5, Bifidobacterium bifidum BB12 and fruit juice . The product has the combination of cranberries with biocultures, for positive balancing of friendly bacteria in the digestive system. Japan’s ‘Glico Diary’ product has Probiotics, with added values in a different way. Its constituents are Bifidobacterium containing yogurt that includes blueberries which are antioxidant polyphenols.
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