Probiotics and Immune System: What’s The Connection?
The immune system is an incredible defense mechanism that protects our bodies from harmful pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. However, sometimes this system can become compromised and lead to various health problems. This is where probiotics come into play. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial to our health, particularly in promoting a healthy digestive system and immune response.
How do Probiotics work?
Probiotics work by boosting the good bacteria in our digestive system, known as the gut microbiota. This is important because our bodies host around 100 trillion microbes, which is 10 times more than the number of human cells in our bodies. This microbial ecosystem not only aids in breaking down food and optimizing nutrient absorption but it also plays a crucial role in immune function.
It is believed that through various mechanisms, such as creating an acidic environment and producing antimicrobial substances, probiotics can help maintain a healthy balance of gut microbiota, which in turn can help boost the immune response.
Probiotics and Immune Response
Several studies have shown the effectiveness of probiotics in enhancing the immune response. For instance, research has indicated that probiotics can help reduce the incidence, severity, and duration of respiratory infections, such as the common cold and flu.
One study found that a daily supplement of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus acidophilus reduced the risk of cold episodes by 12% and the number of days with symptoms by 14%. Similarly, another study reported that a combination of various probiotic strains decreased the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections in school children by 38%.
Probiotics have also been shown to have a positive effect on gut inflammation, which is an important component of immune health. Inflammation is the body’s response to harmful pathogens, but long-term or chronic inflammation can lead to various health problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), arthritis, and cancer.
Research has indicated that probiotics can help reduce gut inflammation by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria and promoting the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, which are signaling molecules that help regulate the immune response.
Probiotics and Autoimmune Disorders
Autoimmune disorders refer to conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body, leading to various health problems. Some examples of autoimmune disorders include rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus.
There is evidence suggesting that probiotics could play a role in the management of autoimmune disorders. For example, a study found that the probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei reduced the severity of symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Another study reported that a mix of probiotics reduced inflammation and improved the symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis. However, it is worth noting that more research is needed in this area to fully understand the potential of probiotics as a treatment for autoimmune disorders.
