Probiotics Video Animation
This animation is designed for the educational use of clinicians and patients.
The human gut is home to over 100 trillion bacterial cells, known as the gut microbiota. The bacteria are diverse and contain mostly “good” bacteria that help process the foods we consume and produce vitamins and short-chain fatty acids that help our bodies to function.
The gut bacteria also produce metabolites that communicate with the brain and the rest of the body. They may influence production of cytokines, and may interact with epithelial cells to stabilize tight junction proteins.
Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the good and bad bacteria in the gut and may be a result of poor diet, lack of exercise, surgery, and inappropriate use of antibiotics. Adding prebiotics to the diet can help to prevent dysbiosis by cultivating more “good” bacteria in the gut.
The effects of probiotics are genus, species, and strain specific. To learn how probiotics can help support gut and overall health, watch the animation above.