Progress in the field of probiotics: year 2011

Abstract

Current evidence will lead to routine probiotic supplementation to prevent all cause mortality and NEC in preterm VLBW neonates. Probiotics may also become novel agents as vaccine adjuvants, and in dealing with major public health issues such as obesity, type I diabetes mellitus, and poor oral health. Research in applications of probiotics in food products will rationalize product development, and health claims. As new frontiers continue to be explored the challenges to the basis of the hygiene hypothesis will influence further developments in the field of probiotics.

The Impact of Probiotics on the Gastrointestinal Physiology

“…Probiotics have been used as a biologically active substance in a large extend of pathologic conditions ranging from antibiotic-associated or travelers' diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and lactose intolerance to dental caries, ulcers due to Helicobacter pylori, hepatic encephalopathy, intestinal motility disorders and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (Deshpande et al, 2011). It has been used as a growth, or production performance promoter in poultry species or farm animals.…”

Probiotics in Critically Ill Patients

“…The increased incidence of mortality in probiotic patients should lead to cautious use probiotic in critically ill patients. Although there have been reports that lactobacilli has benefits in infectious diarrhea, use of this probiotic is not advised in immunosuppressed or critically ill patients, because these populations are at increased risk of developing infections due to lactobacilli (8)(9)(10). Further, in vivo and animal studies are required to confirm the mortality findings in severely and critically ill patients (11).…”

Lactic Acid Bacteria as Source of Functional Ingredients

“…Moreover, LAB according to their bacterial strain could bind aflatoxin B1 both in vivo and in vitro [79]. It was reported in studies that L. paracasei ST11 reduced body and abdominal fat [80]. These probiotic bacteria seemed to have an anti-obese action.…”

“…These probiotic bacteria seemed to have an anti-obese action. Probably intestinal bacteria may regulate body weight by affecting the host's metabolic neuroendocrine and immune functions [80]. Additionally, probiotics may have anticariogenic effects, preventing and treating dental caries and generally be effective in the oral cavity and the treatment of periodontal disease [81,82].…”