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BioMed Research International 2015This review describes some aspects related to the technological barriers encountered in the development and stability of probiotic cheeses. Aspects concerning the... (Review)
Review
This review describes some aspects related to the technological barriers encountered in the development and stability of probiotic cheeses. Aspects concerning the viability of probiotic cultures in this matrix are discussed and the potential of cheese as a biofunctional food carrier is analyzed, outlying some points related to health and safety. In general, the manufacture of probiotic cheese should have little change when compared with the elaboration of cheese in the traditional way. The physicochemical and technological parameters influencing the quality of these products have also to be measured so as to obtain a process optimization.
Topics: Animals; Cheese; Food Technology; Humans; Microbial Viability; Probiotics
PubMed: 25802862
DOI: 10.1155/2015/723056 -
Digestive Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) 2022Multiple lines of evidence now support the notion that gut microbiota can contribute to digestive and extra-digestive diseases. The emergence of these observations... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Multiple lines of evidence now support the notion that gut microbiota can contribute to digestive and extra-digestive diseases. The emergence of these observations enabled to postulate a bacteria-centric paradigm to rethink the treatment of many diseases. The goal of therapy should not be to eradicate the flora but to modify it in a way that leads to symptomatic improvement; thus, the interest in the use of probiotics to modulate microbiota composition has increased worldwide in both community and healthcare settings.
SUMMARY
The results of published studies are conflicting for most probiotic strains and formulations, and clinicians and consumers need a better understanding of probiotic risks and benefits. Currently, clear guidelines on when to use probiotics and the most effective probiotic for different gastrointestinal conditions are still lacking. Here, we reviewed the studies on the use of probiotics in some diseases of relevant interest to gastroenterologists, such as Helicobacter pylori infection, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease. Key Message: Although the evidence is relevant and promising for probiotics in general, and for specific strains and combinations of strains, it is not yet sufficient to draw unequivocal conclusions and clear recommendations.
Topics: Gastrointestinal Diseases; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Probiotics
PubMed: 33752212
DOI: 10.1159/000516023 -
Journal of Applied Microbiology Jul 2016Treatment of vaginal infection requires different drugs although the recurrence rate post treatment remains high due to adverse effects on the beneficial microbiota.... (Review)
Review
Treatment of vaginal infection requires different drugs although the recurrence rate post treatment remains high due to adverse effects on the beneficial microbiota. Thus, there are clear clinical advantages for the use of biotherapeutic agents (prebiotics and/or probiotics) for treating these infections. Pre- and probiotic beneficial effects can be delivered topically or systemically. In general, both approaches have the potential to optimize, maintain and restore the ecology of the vaginal ecosystem. Specific carbohydrates provide a therapeutic approach for controlling infections by stimulating the growth of the indigenous lactobacilli but inhibiting the growth and adhesion of pathogens to the vaginal epithelial cells. Overall, little evidence exists to promote the prevention or treatment of vaginal disease with prebiotic carbohydrates in formulations such as pessaries, creams or douches. However, recent reports have promoted prebiotic applications in ecosystems other than the gut and include the mouth, skin and vagina. This review focuses on the utilization of pre- and probiotics for vaginal health.
Topics: Female; Humans; Lactobacillus; Microbiota; Prebiotics; Probiotics; Vaginal Diseases
PubMed: 26757173
DOI: 10.1111/jam.13054 -
Ecological and molecular perspectives on responders and non-responders to probiotics and prebiotics.Current Opinion in Biotechnology Feb 2022Bifidobacteria are widely used as a probiotic for their health-promoting effects. To promote their growth, bifidogenic prebiotics, including human milk oligosaccharides... (Review)
Review
Bifidobacteria are widely used as a probiotic for their health-promoting effects. To promote their growth, bifidogenic prebiotics, including human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), have been added to supplements and infant formula. However, the efficacy of both probiotic and prebiotic interventions is often debated, as clinical responses vary significantly by case. Here, we review clinical studies that aimed to proliferate human-residential Bifidobacterium (HRB) strains in the gut, and we highlight the difference between responders and non-responders to such interventions through an ecological, niche-based perspective and an examination of the prevalence of genes responsible for prebiotic assimilation in HRB genomes. We discuss the criteria necessary to better evaluate the efficacy of probiotic and prebiotic interventions and the recent therapeutic potential shown by synbiotics.
Topics: Bifidobacterium; Humans; Milk, Human; Oligosaccharides; Prebiotics; Probiotics; Synbiotics
PubMed: 34375845
DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2021.06.023 -
Molecular Biology Reports Apr 2024Recent and continuing advances in gut microbiome research have pointed out the role of the gut microbiota as an unexplored source of potentially beneficial probiotic... (Review)
Review
Recent and continuing advances in gut microbiome research have pointed out the role of the gut microbiota as an unexplored source of potentially beneficial probiotic microbes. Along the lines of these advances, both public awareness and acceptance of probiotics are increasing. That's why; academic and industrial research is dedicated to identifying and investigating new microbial strains for the development of next-generation probiotics (NGPs). At this time, there is a growing interest in NGPs as biotherapeutics that alter the gut microbiome and affect various diseases development. In this work, we have focused on some emergent and promising NGPs, specifically Eubacterium hallii, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia spp., Akkermansia muciniphila, and Bacteroides fragilis, as their presence in the gut can have an impact on the development of various diseases. Emerging studies point out the beneficial roles of these NGPs and open up novel promising therapeutic options. Interestingly, these NGPs were found to enhance gastrointestinal immunity, enhance immunotherapy efficacy in cancer patients, retain the intestinal barrier integrity, generate valuable metabolites, especially short-chain fatty acids, and decrease complications of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Although many of these NGPs are considered promising for the prevention and treatment of several chronic diseases, research on humans is still lacking. Therefore, approval of these microbes from regulatory agencies is rare. Besides, some issues limit their wide use in the market, such as suitable methods for the culture and storage of these oxygen-sensitive microbes. The present review goes over the main points related to NGPs and gives a viewpoint on the key issues that still hinder their wide application. Furthermore, we have focused on the advancement in NGPs and human healthiness investigations by clarifying the limitations of traditional probiotic microorganisms, discussing the characteristics of emerging NGPs and defining their role in the management of certain ailments. Future research should emphasize the isolation, mechanisms of action of these probiotics, safety, and clinical efficacy in humans.
Topics: Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Immunotherapy; Oxygen; Probiotics
PubMed: 38619680
DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09398-5 -
JAMA Network Open Dec 2023Systematic reviews and meta-analyses often report conflicting results when assessing evidence for probiotic efficacy, partially because of the lack of understanding of... (Review)
Review
IMPORTANCE
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses often report conflicting results when assessing evidence for probiotic efficacy, partially because of the lack of understanding of the unique features of probiotic trials. As a consequence, clinical decisions on the use of probiotics have been confusing.
OBJECTIVE
To provide recommendations to improve the quality and consistency of systematic reviews with meta-analyses on probiotics, so evidence-based clinical decisions can be made with more clarity.
EVIDENCE REVIEW
For this consensus statement, an updated literature review was conducted (January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022) to supplement a previously published 2018 literature search to identify areas where probiotic systematic reviews with meta-analyses might be improved. An expert panel of 21 scientists and physicians with experience on writing and reviewing probiotic reviews and meta-analyses was convened and used a modified Delphi method to develop recommendations for future probiotic reviews.
FINDINGS
A total of 206 systematic reviews with meta-analysis components on probiotics were screened and representative examples discussed to determine areas for improvement. The expert panel initially identified 36 items that were inconsistently reported or were considered important to consider in probiotic meta-analyses. Of these, a consensus was reached for 9 recommendations to improve the quality of future probiotic meta-analyses.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this study, the expert panel reached a consensus on 9 recommendations that should promote improved reporting of probiotic systematic reviews with meta-analyses and, thereby, assist in clinical decisions regarding the use of probiotics.
Topics: Humans; Consensus; Dietary Supplements; Probiotics; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Meta-Analysis as Topic
PubMed: 38064222
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.46872 -
Disease Models & Mechanisms Jul 2018The worldwide prevalence of allergic diseases has drastically increased in the past decades. Recent studies underline the importance of microbial exposure for the... (Review)
Review
The worldwide prevalence of allergic diseases has drastically increased in the past decades. Recent studies underline the importance of microbial exposure for the development of a balanced immune system. Consequently, probiotic bacteria are emerging as a safe and natural strategy for allergy prevention and treatment. However, clinical probiotic intervention studies have so far yielded conflicting results. There is increasing awareness about the importance of host-associated factors that determine whether an individual will respond to a specific probiotic treatment, and it is therefore crucial to promote a knowledge-based instead of an empirical selection of promising probiotic strains and their administration regimen.In this Review, we summarize the insights from animal model studies of allergic disease, which reveal how host-related factors - such as genetic makeup, sex, age and microbiological status - can impact the outcomes of preventive or curative probiotic treatment. We explore why and how these factors can influence the results of probiotic studies and negatively impact the reproducibility in animal experiments. These same factors might profoundly influence the outcomes of human clinical trials, and can potentially explain the conflicting results from probiotic intervention studies. Therefore, we also link these host-related factors to human probiotic study outcomes in the context of airway allergies.
Topics: Animals; Clinical Trials as Topic; Disease Models, Animal; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Lung; Microbiota; Probiotics
PubMed: 30037806
DOI: 10.1242/dmm.034314 -
Medicine Feb 2016Probiotics are live nonpathogenic microorganisms. Many of these microorganisms are part of the normal human gut flora, where they live in a symbiotic relationship.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Probiotics are live nonpathogenic microorganisms. Many of these microorganisms are part of the normal human gut flora, where they live in a symbiotic relationship. Probiotics have been used to treat gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI medical conditions. However, the data supporting their use are often conflicting, especially for non-GI-associated illnesses. The strongest evidence supporting the use of probiotics is related to the treatment of acute diarrhea and pouchitis. Atopic eczema in children and genitourinary infections are the only non-GI-related medical conditions where probiotics may have some beneficial effects. Product selection and dosing are not the same in all conditions, and the beneficial effects of each probiotic strain cannot be generalized.The purpose of this article is to provide most recent information about probiotics and its uses. In contrast with previously published reviews on probiotics, we also discuss the composition of various products (Table 1), indications for their use (Table 2), product selection, and dosing of probiotics.Probiotics are safe and appear to exert some beneficial effects in GI-related illnesses. The use of probiotics in non-GI illnesses is not sufficiently supported by current data.
Topics: Dermatitis, Atopic; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Probiotics
PubMed: 26844491
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000002658 -
Canadian Journal of Microbiology Apr 2017The idea you could use lactic acid bacteria to treat and prevent recurrence of vaginal infections was ridiculed in the early 1980s. Bacteria were the bad guys to be... (Review)
Review
The idea you could use lactic acid bacteria to treat and prevent recurrence of vaginal infections was ridiculed in the early 1980s. Bacteria were the bad guys to be eradicated by current and emerging antibiotic classes. Thirty years later, probiotic administration of microbes is widespread worldwide, including for vaginal and bladder health in women, and the scientific basis and clinical efficacy data for this and multiple other applications prove the viability of this concept. The development of this approach, the creation of a definition for probiotics, and the expansion to other areas of women's health form the basis of this review.
Topics: Female; Humans; Lactobacillus; Probiotics; Vagina; Women's Health
PubMed: 28177795
DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2016-0733 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2020Advances in our understanding of the contribution of the gut microbiota to human health and the correlation of dysbiosis with diseases, including chronic intestinal... (Review)
Review
Advances in our understanding of the contribution of the gut microbiota to human health and the correlation of dysbiosis with diseases, including chronic intestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), have driven mechanistic investigations of probiotics in intestinal homeostasis and potential clinical applications. Probiotics have been shown to promote intestinal health by maintaining and restoring epithelial function, ensuring mucosal immune homeostasis, and inhibiting pathogenic bacteria. Recent findings reveal an approach for defining previously unrecognized probiotic-derived soluble factors as potential mechanisms of probiotic action. This review focuses on the impact of probiotics and probiotic-derived functional factors, including probiotic products and metabolites by probiotics, on the cellular responses and signaling pathways involved in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Although there is limited information regarding the translation of probiotic treatment outcomes from and animal studies to clinical applications, potential approaches for increasing the clinical efficacy of probiotics for IBD, such as those based on probiotic-derived factors, are highlighted in this review. In this era of precision medicine and targeted therapies, more basic, preclinical, and clinical evidence is needed to clarify the efficacy of probiotics in maintaining intestinal health and preventing and treating disease.
Topics: Animals; Dysbiosis; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Homeostasis; Humans; Intestines; Probiotics
PubMed: 32719681
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01428