Author: dr h.c. Piotr Kardasz, dr n. biol. Karolina Trzeciak, PhD

We used to think of our organism as a separate entity. The thought that other organisms could treat it as their “home” fills many people with fright. Current research suggests that the human organism should be treated as a whole ecosystem, which is a collection of human cells and microorganisms that are interrelated by a number of interdependencies. However, changes in any part of this ecosystem will affect its overall functioning, and thus our health. At this point, a few terms need to be explained. “Microbiota” refers to the entire ecological environment composed of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic microorganisms that live in a specific environment, in this case, the human body, while “Microbiome” refers to the collection of their genomes. Research on the human genome has yielded the surprising information that, from a genetic point of view, the human organism is composed of just 1-9% human genes, compared to 81-99% of the genes of microorganisms that inhabit it. The various groups of microorganisms are obviously not randomly dispersed in our bodies, but appear in very specific places. The respiratory, reproductive and digestive systems have their own microbiomes.

The largest number of microorganisms inhabits the digestive system, but even within it, the microflora differs in composition depending on the particular section. Different microorganisms can be found in the oral cavity, others in the stomach, and yet others in specific sections of the intestines. The composition of the microbial flora is also individual to each person. The development of the microbiota probably begins already in the prenatal period. But it does not end there, its composition is influenced by the environment in which we live, geographical area, age, among other things. Despite these differences, in the digestive tract we can expect some specific types of bacteria, such as the fact that the upper part of the digestive tract is inhabited mainly by aerobic bacteria, while the lower part is inhabited by anaerobic bacteria, among which in the digestive tract of adults we can find bacteria such as Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium, Clostridium and Lactobacterium.

We have already mentioned that the composition of the microbiota is unique for each person, nevertheless it performs the same biological functions in each individual. In general, we can divide the role of the intestinal microbiota into metabolic, trophic and protective.

Metabolic role. The microbiota regulates the processes of digestion and energy absorption. Up to one tenth of the energy from the food consumed comes from intestinal fermentation. The intestinal flora is involved in the absorption of mineral salts, the synthesis of B vitamins, vitamin K and some amino acids. It is also involved in bile acid metabolism and cholesterol degradation. Thanks to our intestinal flora, some complex nutrients are converted into simple ones as for example fibre into simple sugars or complex fats into short chain fatty acids (SFCA) such as acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid.

Trophic role, i.e. participation in physiological processes that ensure normal tissue function and the maintenance of biological, chemical and physical properties. The microflora significantly influences the proliferation and differentiation of colonic epithelial cells and the proliferation of intraepithelial lymphocytes. In the small intestine, it also influences the development of enterocytes – cells responsible for the absorption of nutrients and also involved in the development of the body’s immune system. Furthermore, the correct composition of the microbiota influences the correct motility of the intestines.

Protective role. It is now known that the correct composition of the bacterial flora is crucial for the body’s immune defences. By lowering the pH with the help of the previously mentioned lactic and acetic acids produced by fermentation, intestinal bacteria prevent the colonization of the intestine by pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, the “good” microorganisms have immunomodulating effects, including activation of macrophages, lymphocytes and NK cells in the blood.

These functions of the intestinal microflora are crucial for human health. Many studies confirm the connection of disorders of microbiota biodiversity with obesity, mood disorders, disorders of heart function and blood pressure, and adverse changes in blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Factors that affect the composition of the microbiota that depend on us include diet, stress, and the use of certain medications such as antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Changes in the composition of the gut microbiome are also observed in the course of many diseases.

So how can we support our inner ecosystem?

Diet has a key influence on the composition of the human intestinal flora. The predominant part of a healthy and balanced diet should be plant-based products, especially fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs. During growth in the field, plants are colonised by microorganisms – both on their surface and inside. These microorganisms can affect the proper functioning of the intestines and thus the health of the whole body. Another well-known way to support the microbiota is with sour pickles and diary products containing so-called ‘good’ bacteria, especially strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. It is also important to have an adequate amount of dietary fibre, which provides a medium for the growth of probiotic bacteria, which have a beneficial effect on human health. However, if the composition of the microflora changes due to a reduction in the number of beneficial microorganisms, a disturbance may occur in the composition of the microbiome of the digestive system, which cannot be balanced by the diet. This is then referred to as dysbiosis, which results from a loss of commensal bacteria, a proliferation of potential pathogens or a loss of microbial biodiversity. To prevent or reverse dysbiosis, attempts are made to modify the composition of the intestinal microbiome through the use of:

Probiotics, i.e. products containing live strains of selected microorganisms known to have a beneficial effect on the human body by improving the composition of the intestinal microbiota. Such microorganisms multiply in the gastrointestinal tract and compete with pathogenic microorganisms, and also exhibit a number of health-promoting activities for the host. As already mentioned Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are the bacteria most abundantly represented in a healthy intestinal bacterial flora. Also the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii is one of the beneficial microorganisms with extremely broad probiotic health-promoting effects, proven in dozens of clinical studies in both adults and children

Prebiotics, i.e. products – substrates, which are selectively used by beneficial microorganisms of the human microflora (mainly, but not only, intestinal microflora) and bring health benefits to the human body. Examples of prebiotics are complex sugars such as inulin or acacia fibre, which belong to the soluble fibre fraction

Synbiotics which is the combination of a probiotic and a prebiotic with synergistic effects in a single preparation. An example here is the synergistic effect of the following strains: Bifidobacterium longum Rosell® R0175 and Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell® R0052, showing a particularly valuable effect on intestinal functions in active people with a high level of stress and psychological functions in healthy people with reduced mood.

Postbiotics, i.e. bioactive components produced by bacteria, for example during fermentation, which have a beneficial effect when introduced into the human body. Such substances include metabolites produced by bacteria, such as butyric acid, which has clinically documented effects that promote optimal intestinal health; in addition, it promotes proper transepithelial fluid transport and helps maintain proper blood cholesterol levels.

Therefore, it can be concluded that dietary enrichment with high-quality preparations containing probiotic microorganisms and prebiotic or postbiotic substances may have a beneficial effect on the intestinal microbiome, which in turn may translate into maintaining optimal health and quality of life. Currently, there are numerous oral preparations containing various prebiotics and probiotics and few postbiotic preparations available in Poland. One of them is DuoLife CLINICAL FORMULA PROBACTILARDII®, a comprehensive dietary supplement containing a prebiotic (acacia fibre) and a proprietary probiotic formula based on 4 bacterial strains – Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. and 1 yeast strain – Saccharomyces boulardii, as well as a postbiotic formulation based on butyric acid. The preparation is composed of the highest quality natural ingredients. The health-promoting effects of the microbial strains contained in the dietary supplement, as well as the acacia fibre and butyric acid, have been documented by very numerous clinical studies.

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