When was probiotics discovered

He particularly focused his study on centenarians , people who've lived past the age of He researched possible links between their extraordinary age and their lifestyle. What Metchnikoff discovered was that the villagers living in the Caucasus Mountains were drinking a fermented yoghurt drink on a daily basis.

His studies into the drink found that it contained a probiotic called Lactobacillus bulgaricus which seemingly improved their health and increased their lifespan. Metchnikoff's pioneering research prompted him and others to look further into probiotics, and lead scientists to discover and classify many different types or species of probiotics.

These included the now well-known species of: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces boulardii, and Bifidobacterium infantis ; all of which have various properties that have different effects on the body.

Read more about the importance of different strains. Saccharomyces boulardii can be found in Optibac Saccharomyces Boulardii. His fundamental research and studies with the microscope led him to the belief that disease and decay were caused by the presence of invisible living bodies — the first scientist to have made such discovery.

He not only demystified the theory of spontaneous generation, but also proved the existence of microbes being activated in certain conditions, which allowed him to interpret the basis for fermentation, wine-making, and the brewing of beer from a scientific point of view.

While Pasteur was the first to advance the concept that microorganisms were required for all human beings to stay healthy, the Russian scientist Elie Metchnikoff, who has worked at the famous Pasteur Institute in Paris during 28 years, was the first to suggest that Lactic Acid Bacteria were beneficial to the intestinal health of humans, and that they could suppress the activity of harmful germs.

He proposed this theory after noting the longevity of Bulgarian peasants, linking their longevity to their diet, which included large amounts of fermented yogurt. In , Metchnikoff received the Nobel Prize for his work involving the link between the immune system and intestinal bacteria. He concluded by simply modifying the human gut flora through our food intake these bad bacteria could be replaced by useful ones and as a result, slow down the aging process; a direct synergistic interaction between Lactic Acid Bacteria and their host.

Fast forward to the s and we find the scientific work of Professor Tomotari Mitsuoka, who paved the way for the application of the theory of intestinal flora balance to maintain human health and prevention of disease.

His commitment was significant to the contribution and development of the first culture and research methods for the intestinal flora, and subsequently discovering, classifying and naming many lactic acid bacteria and intestinal anaerobes.

Tomotari Mitsuoka demonstrated how the composition of intestinal flora changes during a lifetime, and how amounts of bifidobacteria decrease with age, while colon diseases increase at the same time. We learned how to more accurately identify microbial strains and to evaluate how each strain interacts with the body.

With more scientific understanding, some folks in the probiotics industry took note and adapted. This incorporation of real science into some probiotic products has been a huge victory. And although these modern probiotics still represent a minority in the sea of crude probiotic products on the market, they are a significant step in the right direction. Recently a newer generation of scientists have started asking a new question: can we make probiotics do more?

Can we use probiotics as tools to provide specific benefits, in ways prior generations could never have imagined? The key lies in probiotic engineering — genetic engineering , to be precise. Using genetic engineering, for the first time ever we can now create enhanced probiotics that perform specific tasks. These benefits are far more tangible than generic promises of gut wellness. If we want to test whether it breaks down a toxin, the answer to that question is a simple laboratory experiment away.

Other companies are doing the same thing, targeting everything from IBD to cancer. Sign up to get notified whenever we release a new blog post. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy California Privacy Notice. Instagram Facebook Twitter. Product Reviews FAQs. Menu Cart Cart. The question is Fermented foods What foods have probiotics?