Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics- a review

Abstract

The health benefits imparted by probiotics and prebiotics as well as synbiotics have been the subject of extensive research in the past few decades. These food supplements termed as functional foods have been demonstrated to alter, modify and reinstate the pre-existing intestinal flora. They also facilitate smooth functions of the intestinal environment. Most commonly used probiotic strains are: Bifidobacterium, Lactobacilli, S. boulardii, B. coagulans. Prebiotics like FOS, GOS, XOS, Inulin; fructans are the most commonly used fibers which when used together with probiotics are termed synbiotics and are able to improve the viability of the probiotics. Present review focuses on composition and roles of Probiotics, Prebiotics and Synbiotics in human health. Furthermore, additional health benefits like immune-modulation, cancer prevention, inflammatory bowel disease etc. are also discussed.

The intestinal microbiota, energy balance, and malnutrition: emphasis on the role of short-chain fatty acids

“…The clinical use of pre-and probiotics extends to the treatment of several disorders like diarrhea and constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular disease, and the prevention of malignancies [84]. In the context of malnutrition, pre-and probiotics may promote micronutrient synthesis and uptake, mediate inflammation, stimulate either weight gain or loss, promote insulin sensitivity, and affect appetite [84].…”

Potential Health Benefits of Combining Yogurt and Fruits Based on Their Probiotic and Prebiotic Properties

“…Commercially produced yogurts generally provide adequate concentrations of probiotics in the range of 10 million to 10 billion CFU/g food for a given serving of yogurt between 125 and 250 ml (65). The benefit of consuming yogurt with fruit is the potential for prebiotics in fruit to help maintain the viability of probiotic bacteria in the yogurt, as well as providing an additional substrate for enhanced activity once they reach the colon (62,67). Prime prebiotic candidates contain fructo-oligosaccharides (62) and can be found in fruits such as bananas, nectarines, and raspberries (59,68).…”

“…In synbiotics, Lactobacilli are commonly used as the probiotic component (67), whereas oligosaccharides such as fructooligosaccharides are frequently used as the prebiotic component (67). Synbiotics largely have been examined in the context of foods modified through the addition of functional probiotic and/or prebiotic ingredients (69,70), and not whole, minimallyprocessed food combinations.…”

Gut Microbiota and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights on Mechanism and Therapy

“…Synbiotic usually yields benefits by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activating the metabolism of healthpromoting bacteria [136]. Administration of synbiotic production containing Lactobacillus paracasei B21060 plus arabinogalactan and fructooligosaccharides attenuated hepatic inflammation and increased expression of nuclear PPARs and their targeted genes in HFD-induced NAFLD rats [137].…”