CHENNAI: The word ‘bacteria’ has always had a negative connotation. So the idea of consuming a few billion bacteria a day for the benefit of one’s health might seem hard to swallow.
But the truth is, 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 aids the body in digestion, absorption of nutrients and also produces vitamins. The gut microbes 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.
“With our reckless lifestyle we cause negative impact on the microbes. Also, the intake of antibiotics on a regular basis can kill the ‘good’ bacteria,” said Prof N K Ganguly, Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Science Foundation.
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 such as 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,” said Ganguly.