Probiotics are an active microorganism beneficial to the host. The beneficial bacteria or fungi in human and animals mainly include Clostridium butyricum, lactic acid bacteria, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, actinomycetes, yeast and so on. Probiotics are the general name of active and beneficial microorganisms that colonize the human intestinal tract and reproductive system, and can produce certain health care effects, thus improving the microecological balance of the host and playing a beneficial role.

What are the functions of probiotics?

1. Probiotics can relieve the symptoms of lactose intolerance and promote the body's absorption of nutrients: Probiotics help the intestine to digest nutrients. Can decompose lactose into lactic acid and reduce lactose intolerance. Bifidobacterium and lactobacillus can not only produce vitamins B 1, B2, B6, B 12, nicotinic acid, folic acid and other vitamins for the body's needs, but also ensure the supply of vitamins by inhibiting some vitamin decomposing bacteria. In addition, Bifidobacterium can also reduce blood ammonia and improve liver function.

2. Probiotics have the functions of regulating intestinal tract, regulating microecological imbalance and preventing diarrhea: Probiotics enter human intestinal tract alive, and through its growth and various metabolic effects, promote the normalization of intestinal flora, inhibit the production of spoilage substances in intestinal tract and maintain the normal function of intestinal tract. It is effective for viral and bacterial acute enteritis, dysentery and constipation. Probiotics are closely related to chronic gastritis, digestive tract ulcer and other digestive tract problems. Some probiotics can resist gastric acid, adhere to the surface of gastric wall epithelial cells, and inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori and the occurrence of gastric ulcer through their metabolic activities.

3. Probiotics can produce biological antagonism of metabolites and enhance human immunity: Probiotics can produce organic acids, free fatty acids, hydrogen peroxide and bacteriocin, and inhibit the growth of other harmful bacteria; "Biological hypoxia" greatly reduces aerobic pathogenic bacteria. Probiotics can colonize mucosa, skin and other surfaces or cells, forming a biological barrier to prevent the colonization of pathogenic microorganisms, and play a role in occupying space, competing for nutrition, mutual benefit or antagonism. It can also stimulate the nonspecific immune function of the body, improve the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, enhance the secretion of intestinal immunoglobulin IgA, and improve the barrier function of the intestine.

4. Effect of probiotics on hypertension: Some substances produced by lactic acid bacteria, such as γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA), have the effect of lowering blood pressure. Some probiotics can specifically decompose milk protein (casein) and produce peptides (such as VPP and LPP), which can inhibit the activity of enzymes (angiotensin converting enzyme, ACE) that lead to high blood pressure. Drinking yogurt containing this active polypeptide often has the effect of preventing hypertension.

5. Probiotics have the effect of vaginal infection: Many probiotics have the effect of acidifying urogenital tract. It can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria by lowering pH value. You can also curb harmful bacteria by competing for space and resources.

6. Probiotics can alleviate allergies: Allergy is an immune problem and an unbalanced state of human immune dysfunction. When foreign substances or organisms stimulate the immune system to produce too much immunoglobulin (IgE), people with allergic constitution will release a substance called histamine, which will cause allergic symptoms. Probiotic therapy is one of the effective methods to assist anti-allergy at home and abroad. Probiotics can be used to regulate immunoglobulin (IgE) antibodies in vivo, so as to realize immunotherapy and alleviate allergies.

7. Probiotics can reduce serum cholesterol, which may be related to its regulation and utilization of endogenous metabolites and acceleration of short-chain fatty acid metabolism. The microecological preparation of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus can convert cholesterol into fecal sterol which is not absorbed by human body after taking it. Thereby lowering the cholesterol level.

8. Probiotics can inhibit cancer and tumor growth. Lactic acid bacteria can improve the activity of macrophages and prevent tumor growth. Probiotics can inhibit the activities of some enzymes in the intestine, such as β-gluconic acid, β-glucuronic acid, urea, enzymes, nitro reductase, azo reductase and so on. These enzymes may be involved in the formation of intestinal carcinogens. Bile salt may dissociate when it encounters harmful bacteria through the intestine, which will produce carcinogens and easily cause intestinal cancer. But probiotics can inhibit harmful bacteria, and even with bile salts, the carcinogenic rate is greatly reduced.