September 13, 2024

What is a probiotic?

According to scientific literature, probiotics are “live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”.

Key role of intestinal flora

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Natural probiotics are live, active yeasts or bacteria naturally present in the body. They are most abundant in the digestive system, where they make up the intestinal flora — also known as the gut microbiome.

Many well-known probiotics support both digestive and immune health. The most familiar belong to the genera (genus) Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp., though numerous other, less common strains also play important roles.

Bacteria - what are we talking about?

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Bacteria are classified hierarchically, from the most general to the most specificlevels: family, genus, species, and strain:

Family: A group of genera that share common characteristics. For example, the family Lactobacillaceae includes several different genera.
Genus: A group of closely related species. For example, Lactobacillus is a genus that contains multiple species.
Species: A group of strains with shared genetic and phenotypic characteristics. For example, Lactobacillus acidophilus is a species within the genus Lactobacillus.
Strain: A population within a species that has unique characteristics. For example, Lactobacillus acidophilus BIO6307 is a specific strain of the species Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Understanding thetaxonomy of Lactobacillus spp.

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Scientific experts have reached a consensus that, given the genetic composition of these bacteria, the existing Lactobacillus genus was too diverse and did not conform to naming conventions. It was therefore necessary to divide the genus intofunctionally relevant groups that share certain physiological and metabolic properties. Based on several approaches and genetic markers, scientists have proposed a new classification, separating the genus into the groups L. delbrueckii and Paralactobacillus, and creating 23 new genera.