CHENNAI: The word ‘bacteria’ has always had a negative connotation, therefore the idea of consuming a few billion bacteria a day for the benefit of one’s health might seem – literally and figuratively – hard to swallow. But what we don’t know is that we wouldn’t be able to survive even for a few days as babies if not for the bacteria present inside us.
Humans harbour more than 100 trillion organisms in their bodies, which is almost 10 times the number of human cells. A majority of these organisms are found in the intestine and are known as ‘intestinal microbiota’. This microbiota aids the body in digestion, absorption of nutrients and also produces vitamins, the gut microbes that too have unique ways to enhance immunity.
Since more than 70 per cent of immune cells are found in the intestine, the intestinal microbes can interact with the immune cells to influence the development and maturation of the immune system, therefore being referred to as the largest immune organ. “All the microbes are in harmony with each other and keep the body well, but with our reckless lifestyle we cause negative impact on these microbes. Another fact is that when we intake so many antibiotics on a regular basis, it can kill the ‘good’ bacteria too,” said Prof N K Ganguly, Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Science Foundation.
So, when this happens what we can rely on are – probiotics (pro-biotics meaning ‘for life’). Ganguly said research in the field of probiotics has advanced in leaps and bounds to treat/ prevent a wide range of diseases affecting the digestive system along with diseases like tuberculosis and even cancer, “But, probiotics cannot cure any disease, what it can do is prevent the disease from attacking you or after it attacks you, can lessen the pain of the disease,” explained Ganguly.
Probiotics can be consumed in the form of drugs as well as food. “Curd is the most well-known probiota,” said Dr B Sesikeren, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases.