The characteristics of probiotics, and their benefits on animal health

Probiotics in animals

We are rediscovering the virtues of probiotics

There is no day or a particular brand of dairy products we boasts the merits of our health probiotic Bifidus or another and, lately, the European Commission banned (finally!) The addition of antibiotics in industrial pig feed that can be advantageously replaced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii ..., a strain of yeast beer!

Probiotics are "good" microbes that inhabit the intestines of humans and animals and with whom they live in symbiosis, that is to say in synergy.

Their usefulness has already been demonstrated by Mechnikov, Nobel Prize 1908, who did research on the "secret" of the centenarians of the Caucasus, whose longevity is due to consumption of fermented dairy products.
This digestive flora, different in different species, is undermined by the modern environment: antibiotics, stress, industrial food etc ...

Its rebalancing helps promote health all metabolic processes (see our section: for more information), and particularly the process of assimilation.

It is this last point that makes the originality and effectiveness of our products: adding probiotic flora appropriate to each species greatly improves the assimilation of their active ingredients.
And more, probiotics most often result in dramatic improvements in the condition.

PROPERTIES OF PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS

All studies show interest in the biological balance: we are here at the crossroads between the supply concept and the concept of health.

l . The Intestinal Ecosystem

At birth the digestive tract is completely sterile and is colonized in the early hours by a specific flora which becomes final at the age of 4 years. This flora is a true symbiotic body whose role is essential
This is a complex population, consisting of 1,000 billion microorganisms per gram of colonic content in humans.
The balance of this flora is positively influenced by the contribution of Prebiotics and Probiotics, and negatively by poor nutrition, stress and ... antibiotics.

II . The Prebiotics :

1. Definition and origin : they are substrates that support the development of the intestinal flora and are considered bona fide growth factors. These are mainly fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) or fructans short chain natural carbohydrates of plant, found in fruits and vegetables and grains. They can be classified from soluble fiber.

2. Action of Prebiotics :

- FOS have a regulating effect on carbohydrate metabolism: glucose, fructosémie and postprandial plasma insulin levels do not vary, even in diabetics after taking 25g of FOS (Hata et al 1985 Hidaka et al. . 1986 and Drevon Bornet 1992 Bomet 1994)

- Bifidogenic action : bifidobacteria are equipped enzyme to metabolize FOS, which are essential nutrients for their development thus producing volatile fatty acids (VFA) responsible for acidification of the colon that protects the development of certain pathogenic bacteria.
Dietary fiber consumption in Europe is 2 to 3 times lower than that usually recommended: at least 5 g per day.

III. The Probiotics :

1. Definition : literally « favorable to life ))
The term was created by Parker in 1974 to refer to microorganisms that contribute to the maintenance of intestinal flora, but the discovery of the beneficial effects of plant dates back to the work of Metchnikoff, a biologist at the Pasteur Institute, Nobel Prize 1908, which proposed the ingesting live bacteria to improve digestive health and extend life expectancy.
Fuller in 1989 clarifies the definition of probiotics: living microbial preparations used as food addititifs and having a beneficial effect on digestion.

The most widely used in human feeding probiotics are Bifidobacteria (Bifidobacterium bifidus and B. longum), lactobacilli (Lactobacillus acidophilus L. bulgaricus and L. casei) and Streptococcus thermophilus.
In animals, carnivores have a human neighboring flora monogastric herbivores (horses) see a predominance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bacillus Subtilis and Enterococcus Faecium, polygastric herbivores (ruminants have a very complex flora in the gut but also stomachs with the protozoa and cellulolytic bacteria which play also an essential metabolic role.

2. PROPERTIES OF PROBIOTICS :

• Improving the digestion of lactose : lactase allows the separation of glucose and galactose that are lactose and therefore digestion: his absence creates intestinal disorders. This lactase disappears with time and 70% of adults do not. However probiotics improve digestive use of lactose (Couzy 1989 McDonough 1985 Salvano 1989)

• Action on the intestinal transit : Probiotics are able to prevent and treat intestinal disorders, diarrhea, constipation, colitis, gastroenteritis, bloating .. The benefits can only be achieved with active or live bacteria and many revivable (work of Namaisi, 1986 and Ballongue 1983)

• Nutritional Effects : those of particular interest to us in our preparations :

A . Carbohydrate Metabolism : 
the enzymatic activity of microorganisms frees volatile fatty acids favorably influence blood sugar levels.

B . Lipid Metabolism 
digestive microflora is either by direct lipolytic activity either by altering the metabolism of bile salts and cholesterol.
Administration of Bifidobacterium in large quantities in patients with high cholesterol 3g allows for the lower 1.5 (Ballongue, 1993) Among the hypotheses for this phenomenon include the production of an inhibitor of an enzyme involved in cholesterol synthesis: it is orotic acid Rasic, 1983) or a cholesterol absorption by lactic acid bacteria themselves (Galland 1985 Nelsen 1985)

C . Protein Metabolism :
probiotics synthesize amino acids: alanine, threonine valine, aspartic acid and produce lactic acid alone isomer assimilated by humans. Similarly many vitamins are synthesized by probiotics: B1, 86, 89, 812, PP and H A study (Savaiano, 1990) describes a better absorption of beta-carotene in the presence of probiotics.

D . Absorption of minerals :
Probiotics improve the bioavailability of all minerals including Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper and Silicon In a study in 1991 Wynckel Calcium absorption is significantly improved including in individuals lactase deficient .