What are some good bacteria. Why bacteria are needed in the intestines

Metabolites of synanthropic bacteria that aid digestion ensure intestinal epithelial integrity

Normal bacteria are vital to maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelium. 08/08/2014 Scientists have found that bacteria that help in digestion help maintain the integrity of the intestinal epithelium. The results can provide the basis for new methods of treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and a wide range of other diseases.

An intestinal microbiome containing about 100 trillion bacteria was included in the study. The role of these bacteria in the treatment and prevention of disease is a major developing area of \u200b\u200bresearch. Scientists have found that the absorption of certain bacterial metabolites is critical to maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelium, the unicellular layer responsible for preserving intestinal bacteria and protecting the body from the ingress of toxins from the intestines. Destruction of intact intestinal epithelium is associated with a number of diseases (such as irritable bowel syndrome).

Intestinal bacteria metabolites are good for your health.

Intestinal bacteria secrete a wide range of chemicals known as metabolites. It is known that these bacteria and their metabolites affect the integrity of the intestinal epithelium, but it was not known how.

Scientists believe that bacterial metabolites exert their influence by binding and activating a protein in the nuclei of intestinal epithelial cells called the pregnan X receptor (PXR). It is already known that PXR can be activated by chemicals in the body (e.g., bile acids), as well as drugs, including steroids and antibiotics.

In a series of studies in mice, scientists found that the metabolite indole 3-propionic acid is produced exclusively using the so-called synanthropic bacteriathat help in digestion. The gut needs these bacteria because it enhances the barrier function of the intestinal epithelium and prevents its inflammation by activating PXR. In addition, PXR activation inhibits the production of an inflammatory protein called tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), as it increases the level of protein that strengthens the joints between neighboring intestinal epithelial cells.

Synanthropic bacteria need intestines

By adding probiotics in the form of synanthropic bacteria (the metabolite of which is indole 3-propionic acid) or by direct administration of this metabolite, you can prevent or treat irritable bowel syndrome and other inflammatory diseases that occur when the integrity of the intestinal epithelium is impaired. This strategy can also be used to treat other diseases in which the integrity of the intestinal epithelium is violated, including liver disease, diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, allergies, obesity and heart disease.

Currently, scientists are developing new probiotics aimed at restoring the barrier function of the intestinal epithelium, based on the interaction of indole 3-propionic acid with PXR.

Useful microorganisms are called probiotics, the symbiosis of which with the human body has a beneficial effect on the protective and digestive functions. Probiotically, drugs are increasingly used in medicine, but as before, special attention is paid to their use as a means of mitigating the negative effect of the antibiotic on the human body. What bacteria should be drunk with antibiotics in each case can only be told by the attending physician who makes a decision based on data on the features of the treatment course and your body.

Assigning probiotics in combination with antibiotics, the specialist selects them according to several criteria, among which the composition and form of release are fundamental.

According to the form of release, probiotics are divided into:

Dry preparations - they are microorganisms introduced into suspended animation that wake up, getting inside the human body, and only after that they begin to have a beneficial effect on the microflora. Their advantage is a longer shelf life without much damage to efficiency. But not all bacteria manage to wake up before being excreted from the body.
Liquid preparations are a concentrate of living active bacteria. They begin to act immediately after ingestion, bypassing the awakening phase, which at times increases the effectiveness of their use. But the shelf life of such drugs is very short, which is their only drawback.

The choice of what to take or not to take with antibiotics also depends on the individual tolerance of the active component by the body. The most common drugs are based on bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, and yeast.

The composition distinguishes probiotics:

The use of probiotics to eliminate gastrointestinal problems is complicated by the fact that microorganisms do not survive the effects of the aggressive environment of the stomach, which motivates the futility of using such a skeptic technique. It really is. After taking beneficial microorganisms in their pure form, the percentage of beneficial bacteria that have reached the intestines is so small that they can’t talk about any benefits they bring. Therefore, when choosing probiotics, special attention should be paid to the composition of the drug.
Most manufacturers place dry probiotics in acid-resistant capsules that do not dissolve in the aggressive environment of the stomach. The composition of the shells may include various components that create a favorable environment for fixing and the successful functioning of the delivered microorganisms, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the drug.
Liquid forms, in addition to the beneficial microorganisms themselves and the nutrient medium for them, contain components that soften the effect of gastric juice on bacteria, which ensures a high percentage of probiotic survival. The amount of probiotics delivered to the intestine is sufficient to complete the tasks.

When deciding what to drink with prescribed antibiotics, pay special attention to the storage conditions of the product. It is better to refrain from those that are stored in the refrigerator, because during transportation and storage they could violate storage conditions than, at best, they could deprive the probiotic of its useful properties. Also, when choosing a drug, the reputation of the manufacturer must be taken into account. Giving preference to a medicine from a trusted company, you do not pay for the brand, but, first of all, to guarantee the effectiveness of the drug.

Indications and contraindications

Probiotic drugs have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the digestive tract and the general condition of the intestine, contribute to the production of antibodies and strengthen immunity, and help to destroy the vital results of pathogenic microflora.

Indications for taking probiotics are:

flatulence,
intestinal irritation
diarrhea of \u200b\u200btravelers
bloating
diarrhea resulting from taking antibiotics,
dysbiosis,
allergic diseases, especially in children,
violation of the microflora of the vagina.

Contraindications for use:

hypersensitivity to the components of the drug,
HIV or AIDS
oncological lesions of the lymphatic and circulatory system.

Some drugs are contraindicated for pregnant women and infants.
An overdose of probiotics is not possible because beneficial bacteria attach exclusively to specific receptors. Excess beneficial microflora is excreted from the body without causing any negative effects. But you should refrain from abuse, because it is difficult to predict the consequences of the effects on your body of the bacteria accompanying the bacteria that are part of the drug used.

How to take probiotics

Probiotics are usually taken 3-4 times a day, half an hour before meals. However, let’s take the option of consumption one hour after eating. The course of treatment is from two weeks to two months. In the treatment of acute intestinal infection, they must be taken up to 6 times a day for three days, then the course is continued with a three-time intake for at least a week. With antibiotics, take the drug separately, observing the interval indicated in the recommendation of the attending physician or instructions.

In no case should you take antibiotics at the same time as beneficial bacteria. Simultaneous administration will nullify a positive result from the use of a probiotic preparation. Also, without prior consultation, do not try to pick up an analog of the recommended product yourself, because even if the main active substance is the same, the differences can be precisely in the auxiliary components. Remember that in order to choose the right course of treatment or prophylaxis, additional studies may be required, which can not be carried out outside health facilities.

Summing up, I want to emphasize: patients who, together with prescribed antibiotics, take beneficial bacteria, recover much faster than ignoring such a doctor’s recommendation, and minimize the possible negative consequences of taking antibiotics.

OPINION OF SPECIALISTS!

Intestinal microflora function
The digestive organs of humans and mammals are very densely populated by a mass of species bacteria . In total, at least three hundred varieties of microbes are present in the gastrointestinal tract, if all microbes living in the body are weighed, they will be from three to four kilograms. The vast majority of microorganisms living in the digestive system consume food particles undigested by humans and are therefore called saprophytes. In this case, the bulk of these microbes is necessary for the digestive tract and for the existence of the human body as a whole. Such microorganisms are called obligate.
A slightly smaller number of microorganisms in the intestine can provoke diseases, and they are called optional .
And a very small part of microorganisms is temporary and it is called transient. These bacteria enter the digestive system with food, but for them there are no conditions for existence, so they do not survive.

The definition of " normal intestinal microflora"Denotes certain proportions of obligate, facultative and transient bacteria that are present in the digestive organs. It is also very important that in a healthy body there is a dynamic balance between the quantitative proportion of these types of bacteria. With a long-term violation of a healthy microflora develops.

The maximum number of bacteria inhabits the colon, esophagus and oral cavity. There should normally be no germs in the human stomach. In the small intestine, the mass of microbes increases, the closer the intestine approaches the colon.

What is the function of bacteria in the digestive system?
It must be said that bacteriological balance in the intestine ensures the activity of the entire digestive tract, as well as the well-being of the entire human body. Next, the basic interactions of microflora and the general condition of a person will be explained.

The main part (both in function and in number) of the microflora of the digestive organs is represented by obligate bacteria. These bacteria are represented by the following species: up to ninety-eight percent - bifidobacteriaone percent lactobacillia small amount of friendly form escherichia coli. All these varieties of microorganisms feed on undigested particles of human food, i.e. belong to the group saprophytes. This is precisely the main difference between beneficial bacteria and pathogenic bacteria, which are consumed by cells of the intestinal mucosa. Bifidobacteria, as well as some varieties e. coli process particles of undigested food (fiber), thereby increasing the percentage of digestibility of food. In addition, these microorganisms also produce some amino acids. So, the amount of vitamin necessary for life TO completely covered by the vitamin that produce bifidobacteria in the large intestine. In addition, bacteria also produce vitamins. PP, and ascorbic acid, as well as a number of vitamins of the group AT. The activity of these microbes increases the digestibility of such useful trace elements as calcium and iron, vitamin D. During the development of dysbiosis, the balance of vitamins and minerals in the body is changed.

Another valuable ability of the body for bacteria in the intestines is production. lysozyme - a substance inhibiting the development of pathogenic microbes. The presence of obligate bacteria in the intestine inhibits the development of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microbes. In this regard, if pathogens enter the digestive organs of a healthy person, they usually do not cause disease, but die out in a short time.

The intestinal mucosa includes a large number lymphoid cells - cells that perform the functions of protecting the body. In the process of interaction of these cells with microbes that inhabit the intestines, the body activates. In general, biological equilibrium in the intestine is one of the conditions for the body's defenses to work well. Biological balance in the gut is most important for only born babies and older children. If it is violated, it is advisable to apply for.

The formation of the biological equilibrium of the intestines in babies more naturally occurs when they are fed with breast milk, which is associated with the presence of certain substances in human milk that create better conditions for the development of beneficial microorganisms.