Probiotics continued...
Direct antimicrobial effect
This can be both the effect of the bacteriocins, which are known to be produced by many species of lactic acid bacteria, or by the production of organic acids. Organic acids can either have a direct antimicrobial effect or act by reducing the pH of the gut, which creates unfavourable conditions for the growth of undesirable bacteria such as pathogens.
Improvement in digestion
Probiotic micro-organisms are an essential part of a healthy microflora, producing enzymes which aid in the breakdown of carbohydrates such as polysaccharides, allowing the absorption of their nutritional and energy value in the gut. The microflora also digests carbohydrates which have not been digested in the upper intestine, preventing them from being fermented by pathogenic bacteria and generating gases which cause bloating and discomfort. They can also manufacture vitamins which act as a secondary source of nutrients.
