Probiotics and Intestinal Health

유산균 Probiotics와 장내 건강

  • Bang, Miseon (Division of Animal Science, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Lee, Sang Dae (Dept. of Biology, Seonam University) ;
  • Oh, Sejong (Division of Animal Science, Chonnam National University)
  • 방미선 (전남대학교 동물자원학부) ;
  • 이상대 (서남대학교 생명과학과) ;
  • 오세종 (전남대학교 동물자원학부)
  • Received : 2012.11.01
  • Accepted : 2012.11.20
  • Published : 2012.11.30

Abstract

For human including newborn baby, the intestinal microbiota can play an important role in the development of the intestinal mucosa and in maintaining the balance of the immune cells. Important functions of the intestinal microbiota include the inhibition of the colonization of the intestine by potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, the research of probiotics have been focused on the prevention and treatment of disorders associated with the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), including pathogen infection, traveler's diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and constipation. Probiotics have also been suggested as therapeutic agents against irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases. An increasing amount of evidence from clinical studies suggests that they are effective in the prevention of atopic allergies and may have potential anti-carcinogenic effects. Until recent years many scientific research for this use has been based on empirical observations. Therefore, probiotics in the form of fermented milk products have been long part of attempts to maintain good health in world wide.

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