When we eat, which bacteria should we be feeding?

Gibson, G.R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0566-0476 and Rastall, R.A. (2004) When we eat, which bacteria should we be feeding? Asm News, 70 (5). pp. 224-231. ISSN 0044-7897

Abstract/Summary

Diet therapy utilizing probiotics and prebiotics may help treat many common gastrointestinal complaints. From birth to about 2 years of age the human digestive tract changes from sterile to a complex ecosystem with at least 500 bacterial species, most of these are benign and even necessary, however, pathogenic species also colonize the digestive tract. The idea is that prebiotics and probiotics can be used to displace and neutralise these pathogens.