What are prebiotics (preparations) and their purpose?

Prebiotics are the indigestible food ingredients, which have the property of stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines. With the systematic use of products containing prebiotics or preparations, the balance of the intestinal microflora is normalized, which improves digestion and cures chronic gastrointestinal diseases, and increases immunity.

Prebiotics include di- and trisaccharides, as well as oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, amino acids, polyhydric alcohols, etc. However, their most useful properties are expressed in poly-, galacto- and oligosaccharides, as well as in dietary fibers. They are found in many products of vegetable origin: cabbage, beans, peas and soy, onions and garlic, corn, cereals and bran, bread, honey, various fruits, and also in dairy products. Prebiotics are not destroyed during heat treatment, and in the food industry are often used as food additives - in particular, in confectionery.

There is also a synthetic prebiotic - lactulose, made from whey. Its useful properties were discovered by one of the German pediatricians in the middle of the twentieth century: it managed to correct the composition of the intestinal microflora in children with it. Prebiotics (preparations) containing lactulose are produced under different trade names: Dufalac, Normaze, Portalalak, Laktusan, Laktofiltrum, and others (the latter also contains natural enterosorbent). In addition to the ability to normalize the intestinal microflora, lactulose has a pronounced laxative effect. In order to eliminate constipation, it is taken in a higher dose: from 15-20 to 50 ml and more per day (as a prebiotic - 5-10 ml). Prebiotics (preparations) on its basis are issued to adults and children, including those under the age of one year. Lactulose increases the digestibility of vitamins and minerals from food, contributes to a decrease in blood levels of cholesterol. There are prebiotics (preparations) based on other oligo- or polysaccharides - for example, BAU Inulin Fort. However, due to its effectiveness and availability, lactulose firmly holds the first place among them.

Of great importance is the presence in the food of prebiotics in childhood, including in infants - this is important for their immunity. Prebiotics for children of the first months of life are added to the formula. Doctors still do not have a common opinion on whether additional prebiotics should be given to a healthy child. However, children who have had an acute respiratory disease or a gastrointestinal disease, whose treatment included taking antibacterial drugs, for the prevention of dysbacteriosis, prebiotics (preparations) and probiotics can be prescribed. The duration of the course in this case is usually one to two weeks, and with severe violations of the gastrointestinal tract, up to four weeks.

Prebiotics for new-born "artificial persons" are of particular importance because of the increased risk of intestinal infections for them, compared with children who are naturally breast-fed. They can be recommended special mixtures "Nutrilon Omneo", "Hipp Pre Bio", "Humana 1 (2) with prebiotics" and others. Babies suffering from constipation, especially suitable mixtures with lactulose - for example, "Semper Bifidus".

Prebiotics should not be confused with probiotics: the so-called beneficial bacteria that live in the intestines themselves, as well as the drugs containing them (for example, "Lactobacterin"). Currently, most experts agree that both of them make sense to use in a complex, since the first of them serve as a food for the second - lacto- and bifidobacteria. Isolated reception of probiotics, even the most effective, does not always lead to the expected effect and normalizes the intestinal microflora, whereas prebiotics have the property to stimulate its growth and vital activity.