Prebiotics

prebiotics

The benefit of taking probiotics is therefore doubtful if sufficient prebiotics are not supplied.

Prebiotic deficiency causes intestinal bacteria to starve

Usually these are certain non-digestible carbohydrates, such as when food rich in prebiotics is not or only rarely eaten, the „good“ intestinal bacteria suffer from hunger. however, when weakened, they can easily be displaced by pathogenic bacteria.

Prebiotics-rich instead of protein-rich food

Dietary fibres are used as prebiotics to feed the „good“ intestinal bacteria. According to researchers at the Dutch Wageningen University for Life Sciences, they all irritate the intestinal cells, are possibly mutagenic or can have negative effects on the immune system in high concentrations. The fermentation of bifidogenic prebiotics, on the other hand, does not produce any metabolic products that are harmful to health. Both reduce the pH value in the large intestine, thus ensuring the desired acid environment, which in turn does not appeal to pathogenic intestinal bacteria, making their colonisation more difficult.

Short chain fatty acids also serve as an energy source for the intestinal cells.

What do prebiotics do?

Firstly, to prevent the development of the aforementioned harmful metabolic products of protein fermentation; secondly, to increase the number and activity of positive intestinal bacteria, while, thirdly, to reduce the number and activity of harmful bacteria to a tolerable level. A prebiotic-rich diet or a prebiotic in the form of a high-quality dietary supplement can increase the number of intestinal bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria that are positive for us and at the same time make them stronger and more active. The special importance of these bacterial strains is that they provide increased absorption of nutrients and better digestion and also contribute to strengthening the immune system. Further functions and tasks of useful intestinal bacteria can be found in the texts „Dysbacterie“ and „Die Darmflora aufbauen“.

When the balance of the intestinal flora is restored, the health problems caused by the dysbacteria disappear automatically in most cases.