PROBIOTICS Explained

You may have heard of 'good bacteria' but do you know what 'probiotic' really means and where it comes from? Here's all you need to know…

Probiotics: A definition

Probiotics are 'good' bacteria. They can also be consumed as live cultures in foods such as some types of yogurt, or yogurt drinks (like Actimel) and in capsule form. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines probiotics as: "live micro-organisms, which when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host" (WHO 2002). Probiotics can literally be interpreted as 'for life'.

The history of probiotics

Probiotics were first consumed thousands of years ago in naturally fermented products such as fermented milks but were only introduced into the scientific community in the 1900s. The concept of 'beneficial microbes' or probiotics as we know them today arose at the turn of the 20th century from a hypothesis proposed by the Nobel Prize winning Russian scientist, Elie Metchnikoff. He suggested that the long and healthy lives of Bulgarian peasants resulted from their high consumption of fermented milk products. The historical association of probiotics with fermented dairy products, still true today, stems from these early observations.

Reading between the strains

In recent years, the health benefits that result from taking probiotics have become an extremely active field of research. Today many probiotic products are available. These include probiotic yogurts, yogurt drinks and capsules. However, not all of them are backed by evidence-based clinical trials. Also, the variety of probiotics available may cause confusion about which are most effective – simply because different cultures have different properties and their benefits can vary dramatically. For instance, Danone Activia with its exclusive probiotic culture Bifidus ActiRegularis, is scientifically proven to help improve slower digestive transit * whereas Actimel with its exclusive probiotic L. casei Imunitass, helps support the body's defences**.

*When at least one pot is consumed everyday for 14 days as a part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.
**When 1-2 bottles are consumed everyday as a part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

DID YOU KNOW?

To express their benefits, most probiotic foods must be active or 'alive' and reach the gut in sufficient quantities but in order to do so they must first resist the effects of stomach acids. The exclusive formula in Actimel, including the probiotic culture L. casei Imunitass®, meets these criteria.