Probiotics has become a fairly common term in the field of nutritional supplements, but lately we’re hearing more and more about prebiotics as well. Are they related? What’s the difference?

Where does the term probiotics come from? A literal translation would be “for life” and when it comes to colon care and intestinal microflora, probiotics are the good bacteria bifidobacterium longum and lactobacillus acidophilus, often shortened to acidophilus, that should be living there. And while they are distinguished from prebiotics, they most definitely are not contrary to prebiotics, In fact, the two work together.

Prebiotics (yep, the literal translation would be “before life”) are actually the food for the probiotics. Are we sure we want to feed the bacteria inside us? Well, the good bacteria we do. And prebiotics such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin selectively feed the good bacteria only, creating an environment where the good guys can grow and multiply, crowding out the bad guys. There is limited real estate in our intestines, and if there are sufficient good bacteria, the bad bacteria — the ones that make us ill, challenge the immune system, and wreak havoc on our digestive systems — are crowded out.

So the prebiotic component of acidophilus supplementation is an important partner to probiotic acidophilus, the actual good bacteria itself, the bifidobacterium longum and lactobacillus acidophilus. It makes the most sense to rely on a two-product system that delivers both of these partner components for healthy digestive balance.

There are many, many health benefits attributed to supplementation with healthy intestinal bacteria such as bifidobacterium longum and lactobacillis acidophilus, commonly referred to as acidophilus. First, let’s address why supplementation is necessary. We’re born with these good guy bacteria in the intestinal tract. What happens to them such that we have to replace them? Well, they have a host of enemies and we routinely bombard our bodies with these enemies. Things like stress; antibiotics (either taken for medicinal purposes or consumed in meat and dairy food products); alcohol; a low-fiber or high fat or high animal protein diet; pollution; pesticides, herbicides and insecticides in our food supply; and over the counter drugs all destroy good probiotic bacteria. Even the inevitable process of aging brings with it a natural decline in the numbers of bifidobacterium longum and lactobacillis acidophilus in our guts.

Let’s focus for a minute on the role of antibiotics in diminishing healthy intestinal microflora. Perhaps you have heard the term probiotics in referring to good bacteria such as bifidobacterium longum and lactobacillis acidophilus. Get the contrast? Pro-biotic and Anti-biotic? Antibiotics are not discriminate killers. So while their purpose is to kill bacteria that make animals or humans sick, they kill the good bacteria throughout the body at the same time.

And what becomes of our intestines when these good guy bacteria are no longer present in force? The bad guys have an opportunity to move in. Icky sounding bacteria like candida, e. coli, clostridium, pseudomonas, salmonella, staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus, and many, many more. The presence of the unwanted bacteria are responsible for many negative consequences. They are varied and individual (meaning not everyone experiences the same results) but can include flatulence and bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation, irritable bowel issues, allergies, candida overgrowth, acid reflux, recurrent ear infections, and immune system challenges. The decline of the good bacteria can even contribute to cancer (including colon cancer) and elevated cholesterol.

So what might we expect when we restore the healthy intestinal bacteria? Let’s first consider the impact of the good bacteria on the overall environment of the gut. Bifidobacterium longum and lactobacillis acidophilus thrive in the normal, healthy, low pH (acidic – not to be confused with stomach acid) environment of the gastrointestinal tract. Research shows that the metabolic byproducts of these friendly microflora help maintain this healthy, low pH intestinal environment. This same acidic environment discourages the growth of undesirable bacteria and helps maintain a healthy balance of intestinal microflora. We are then in a position to enjoy acidophilus health benefits that include improving mineral absorption, targeting candida and bacteria that cause infections, overcoming the bacteria that cause traveler’s trots, cancer prevention, strengthening the immune system so that the body is better equipped to deal with many health challenges, including recurrent ear infections and urinary tract infections, easing constipation, lowering cholesterol, converting good nutrients for absorption, countering the digestive upset that can result from antibiotic therapy and even chemotherapy and radiation, and promoting general colon health. A fairly impressive list, don’t you think?