Health benefits of probiotic
The word ‘probiotic’ comes from Greek language ‘pro bios’ which means ‘for life’ opposed to ‘antibiotics’ which means ‘against life’. The history of probiotic began with the history of man by consuming fermented foods that is well known Greek and Romans consume very much. In 1908 a Russian researcher Ellie Metchnikoff, awarded with Nobel Prize, firstly proposed the beneficial effects of probiotic microorganisms on human health. Metchnikoff hypothesized that Bulgarians are healthy and long lived people because of the consumption of fermented milk products which consists of rod shaped bacteria (Lactobacillus spp). Therefore, these bacteria affect the gut micro flora positively and decreases the microbial toxic activity. They also provide a good health benefits when used in sufficient amount. Probiotic strains show powerful activity in human health improvement. The main probiotic groups are Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Bacillus and yeasts strains which are used frequently.
Probiotic recently have become a subject of great interest in the field of research. The utilization of probiotic has prompted promising outcomes in countless well-designed clinical studies. Probiotic supplements provide a great response for the treatment and control of various disorders and illnesses like, gastro-intestinal diseases, allergy, uro-genital infections, Helicobacter pylori infection, and inflammatory bowel syndrome and diarrhea and colon cancer. Currently, it has become one of the fruit full and attractive research areas as it can prevent and treat communicable and non-communicable human diseases. Different clinical study outcome supports this idea of daily consumption of probiotic. The results of such extensively studied and explored could demonstrate the improvement of health and quality of life.